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Dear Rosie:
A heartwarming graphic novel about middle grade friendship, loss, and moving on in the spirit of Stargazing and Real Friends.
Seventh-grader Millie has the best friends in the whole Florence, Claire, Gabby, and Rosie, but when Rosie dies in a car accident everything changes. Rocked by grief, the remaining four girls struggle to move on. Millie barely understands her normal pre-teen feelings, let alone the messy ones left behind by Rosie, so she outruns her emotions by throwing herself into a a cryptic notebook abandoned at her family's laundromat. Could the clues in the notebook be related to Rosie?
Together, Millie and her friends embark on a heartwarming journey to heal from the loss of Rosie and end up finding more than they ever could have even imagined.
Seventh-grader Millie has the best friends in the whole Florence, Claire, Gabby, and Rosie, but when Rosie dies in a car accident everything changes. Rocked by grief, the remaining four girls struggle to move on. Millie barely understands her normal pre-teen feelings, let alone the messy ones left behind by Rosie, so she outruns her emotions by throwing herself into a a cryptic notebook abandoned at her family's laundromat. Could the clues in the notebook be related to Rosie?
Together, Millie and her friends embark on a heartwarming journey to heal from the loss of Rosie and end up finding more than they ever could have even imagined.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
December 4, 2023
What a gem of a graphic novel...
I've been diving more and more into middle grade graphic novels this year and I was really excited to pick up Dear Rosie. This has content warnings for grief and death. The story follows four friends starting the school year after their friend has passed away during the summer. Meghan Boehman and Rachel Briner do such a wonderful job capturing the different ways that people grieve. It's easy to assume that grief only presents itself in the form of sadness, but they use these four characters to explore the many ways that individuals can express grief. I wasn't sure how this was going to work with animals, but I enjoyed it and it's an ode to the natural inhabitants of this specific area in real life. The artwork is vibrant and beautiful and showcases so many different emotions. Don't look over this one if you're looking for more books to use as a tool for the discussion of grief with younger readers.
I've been diving more and more into middle grade graphic novels this year and I was really excited to pick up Dear Rosie. This has content warnings for grief and death. The story follows four friends starting the school year after their friend has passed away during the summer. Meghan Boehman and Rachel Briner do such a wonderful job capturing the different ways that people grieve. It's easy to assume that grief only presents itself in the form of sadness, but they use these four characters to explore the many ways that individuals can express grief. I wasn't sure how this was going to work with animals, but I enjoyed it and it's an ode to the natural inhabitants of this specific area in real life. The artwork is vibrant and beautiful and showcases so many different emotions. Don't look over this one if you're looking for more books to use as a tool for the discussion of grief with younger readers.
December 18, 2023
Wasn't expecting this graphic novel to hit me right in the feels (I went in blind and look at that deceptively cheery cover lol) but it was such an emotional, heartfelt and beautiful read.
I adored the characters, the beautiful illustrations, as well as the rich colour and detail. The storyline was compelling while touching on so many important topics.
Not only does it navigate the beauty and complexities of friendship, the book also explores grief, loss, how isolating it can be despite shared experiences, the different ways people cope, memory and how the ones we love never really leave us.
Everything was so lovingly written and well-portrayed – and you realise why, when you read the author's note.
Thank you to Random House Children's for the Netgalley ARC.
I adored the characters, the beautiful illustrations, as well as the rich colour and detail. The storyline was compelling while touching on so many important topics.
Not only does it navigate the beauty and complexities of friendship, the book also explores grief, loss, how isolating it can be despite shared experiences, the different ways people cope, memory and how the ones we love never really leave us.
Everything was so lovingly written and well-portrayed – and you realise why, when you read the author's note.
Thank you to Random House Children's for the Netgalley ARC.
July 4, 2023
This is a story about unexpectedly losing a friend. This is a story about grief. This is also a story about 7th grade and the group of friends who have to find their way after the death of their friend Rosie. I remember 7th grade. It wasn't easy and I cannot imagine how much more difficult it would be should one of my friends died. IF that had happened, I would have wanted a book like Dear Rosie to help me through it [and perhaps some really good therapy]. Well-written, fantastically illustrated [seriously. The illustrations just make this book] and a perfect description of what middle-grade is like [all the emotions and swooning and petty squabbles amongst those who love each other deeply], PLUS dealing with the death of a beloved friend, and I felt so much of what I dealt with in my own 7th grade year all over again [even though no one died, I was suffering from the loss of my parent's marriage and my fathers love for a new woman and I have learned as an adult, grief is grief and is 100% not linear] and I think this is one of the most realistic middle-grade books I have read in a long time.
I think this book has come at a really good time considering where we are in the world and that if you are a teacher, parent, caregiver etc, you need to be buying this book and reading it and then keeping it close because chances are, someone will cross their path that desperately needs this book and will be ever grateful someone shared with with them.
VERY. WELL. DONE.
Thank you to Meghan Boehman and Rachel Briner for being brave enough to revisit their memories of 7th grade and to write about the loss of their own friend when they were in college - even though this is a fictional graphic novel, it really shows that the two writers have experienced the same grief as the girls in the book and their experiences really make this book shine [and makes it much more true-to-life]. Thank you also to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think this book has come at a really good time considering where we are in the world and that if you are a teacher, parent, caregiver etc, you need to be buying this book and reading it and then keeping it close because chances are, someone will cross their path that desperately needs this book and will be ever grateful someone shared with with them.
VERY. WELL. DONE.
Thank you to Meghan Boehman and Rachel Briner for being brave enough to revisit their memories of 7th grade and to write about the loss of their own friend when they were in college - even though this is a fictional graphic novel, it really shows that the two writers have experienced the same grief as the girls in the book and their experiences really make this book shine [and makes it much more true-to-life]. Thank you also to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2024
I cannot praise this book enough. It manages to take one of the most difficult things a person can experience, the early loss of a friend, and turn it into a nuanced, engaging story. Although it was written to be read for students in middle school, I cannot shake the feeling that I was meant to read it as well. It’s clear that the authors poured their love into this book, writing it to honor not only their friend, but to speak to readers who have gone through the same thing. I wish I could get everyone in my life to read this, it’s a warm hug and a subtle reminder of appreciating your friendships.
August 3, 2023
This is such a fantastic graphic novel that deals with a very hard topic for most kids to discuss, the death of a friend. It also deals with grief and how hard it can be to come to terms with losing someone that you loved in a very abrupt way. I think that this deals with all of those things and more in a fantastic way. The artwork is very colorful and I loved the expressions of all of the characters. Overall, a really well-done graphic novel.
June 27, 2023
This is such a gentle and sweet book well tackling a really tough concept for middle grade. This friend group loses one of their friends to an accident and it's told over the next year of them trying to figure out how to move on with their lives. The story itself was very sweet very cute but my favorite part by far was the art style and the animal characters. I feel like it's kind of rare or on the rare side to find graphic novels that are fully colored and not just a limited palette and this one has so much detail in intricacy within every single panel and I loved it a lot.
February 18, 2024
this was a heartwarming and beautiful story about loss and grief. the illustrations were just as good.
August 19, 2023
Touching and heart-warming, this book feels like a cozy warm blanket on a brisk fall evening. It’s the perfect way to introduce the topic of dealing with grief to a middle grade reader who may need some help in their own life, or helping their friend cope with grief. The story and art are equally beautiful, and I absolutely love all of it. It made me tear up both of the times I read it today. ❤️ I would highly recommend this to everyone to read (even adults) when it comes to working through grief.
As an added bonus, if you are a native of Frederick, MD you’ll recognize many of the backgrounds and locations as it’s all set there.
As an added bonus, if you are a native of Frederick, MD you’ll recognize many of the backgrounds and locations as it’s all set there.
May 18, 2023
87%
A very touching story about dealing with grieving the loss of a friend. This book made me reminisce about middle school - there weren't many good moments worth remembering, but the ones that are involved my besties who were instrumental in getting me through that time.
The art is simple and refined, and I appreciate that special attention was paid to the ears - I feel like graphic novelists often forget how much animals express their emotions with their ears. The colors were warm and cozy, which nicely offset the sadness of the story and reminds us that even in times of grief there are good things.
The afterword revealed that all of the characters were actually animals that are native to the state of Maryland, which I thought was super cool! Clearly the authors did a lot of research before undertaking the project, and I only wish there was like a half page dedicated to talking about the main character animals; they obviously have a passion for nature, and it would've been awesome if they could've shared that with us readers a bit more.
The afterword also revealed that the story was based on real life events and friendships. I think this is a beautiful tribute, and an important story to share.
~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.~
A very touching story about dealing with grieving the loss of a friend. This book made me reminisce about middle school - there weren't many good moments worth remembering, but the ones that are involved my besties who were instrumental in getting me through that time.
The art is simple and refined, and I appreciate that special attention was paid to the ears - I feel like graphic novelists often forget how much animals express their emotions with their ears. The colors were warm and cozy, which nicely offset the sadness of the story and reminds us that even in times of grief there are good things.
The afterword revealed that all of the characters were actually animals that are native to the state of Maryland, which I thought was super cool! Clearly the authors did a lot of research before undertaking the project, and I only wish there was like a half page dedicated to talking about the main character animals; they obviously have a passion for nature, and it would've been awesome if they could've shared that with us readers a bit more.
The afterword also revealed that the story was based on real life events and friendships. I think this is a beautiful tribute, and an important story to share.
~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.~
February 10, 2023
Cute, middle-grade story that describes friendship, love and loss. The characters are adorable looking. It was cool to realize that the characters and story are loosely based on the author's own experience, and that the animals featured as characters are all native to the author's local area. I think that the most important piece of this graphic novel is the take-away that everyone experiences grief differently, and that it manifests itself in different ways. But ultimately, friendship can help to heal the brokenness that our grief can leave us with,
January 3, 2023
A gentle look at loss and healing, about the power of friendships and about how grief is handled in different ways.
November 15, 2024
My friend gave me this book to read because her friend wrote, it was lovely and personal and made me think of getting though a similar hard time with my bestie :)
July 7, 2025
A beautiful and sad book about processing grief in different ways.
January 5, 2026
My daughter said “Read this. It’s sad.” So I did. And it was. A graphic novel for anyone dealing with grief, especially anyone who has lost a friend.
June 18, 2023
Millie and her three other friends have just lost a fourth friend to a car accident during the summer. They are all in middle school, and when school starts, there is a big missing piece where their friend Rosie, used to be. Millie keeps dreaming about her, and missing her,and is having trouble adjusting, the same way the other friends are, but they are dealing with it in different ways, such as acting out.
Millie finds a note book that looks as though Rosie drew in it, and she and her friends try to “solve the mystery” of what the notebook was all about, as a way to get over her death, trying to find what she was looking for in her sketch book.
The author said she based this death of a friend in her group on a college friend who died, and what a hole that left in her life.
Our group lost a friend to a car accident when we were seniors. This was before social media and the internet, but the word got around school the next day that Liegh had died, and we knew even before class started. It was hard. It is always hard when death comes for the young.
Very realistic the way each one of the friends copes, from, as I said, acting out, to running away from home, to simply being sad.
Beautiful pictures. Sad story, but well done.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book comes out the 11th of July.
Millie finds a note book that looks as though Rosie drew in it, and she and her friends try to “solve the mystery” of what the notebook was all about, as a way to get over her death, trying to find what she was looking for in her sketch book.
The author said she based this death of a friend in her group on a college friend who died, and what a hole that left in her life.
Our group lost a friend to a car accident when we were seniors. This was before social media and the internet, but the word got around school the next day that Liegh had died, and we knew even before class started. It was hard. It is always hard when death comes for the young.
Very realistic the way each one of the friends copes, from, as I said, acting out, to running away from home, to simply being sad.
Beautiful pictures. Sad story, but well done.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book comes out the 11th of July.
July 24, 2023
Dear Rosie is a lovely meditation on loss, grief, memory, and remembrance. It’s topic (sudden death of a loved one) touches on something that is pretty immediately and universally relatable. This graphic novel isn’t about *BAM*s and *POW*s or bright saturated colors. Everything about this graphic novel (artwork/colors, font design, writing) feels like a safe place; a bowl of soup on a cold, rainy day. In fact, the panels of atmospheric calm build the world and allow the reader space to empathize. It handles some pretty hard topics but in the softest, best way. And, I loved Millie’s ear reactions. It’s a great reminder that life is hard, but, it’s always going to be okay.
January 19, 2024
This is a profound novel about losing a friend. When a member of close knit group of friends dies suddenly, the remaining girls deal with grief in different ways.
The story is based on the death of one of the authors’ friends. It’s set in the same town as where they grew up. I like that each character is based on one of the local animals of the area.
The story is based on the death of one of the authors’ friends. It’s set in the same town as where they grew up. I like that each character is based on one of the local animals of the area.
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June 3, 2024🥹💜
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January 5, 20244.5
This was a super short read for me but so impactful. These characters felt so real and I loved all the different examples of how someone might react to grief, and how grief manifests differently in everyone. The setting was very fully realized, and I really felt for all the characters. I would say this is a great book for a kid who's grieving, and might help them to process that grief in a healthy way.
This was a super short read for me but so impactful. These characters felt so real and I loved all the different examples of how someone might react to grief, and how grief manifests differently in everyone. The setting was very fully realized, and I really felt for all the characters. I would say this is a great book for a kid who's grieving, and might help them to process that grief in a healthy way.
March 3, 2024
Even I didn’t lose my first close friend until I was much older, the relationships between the girls reminded me of my own middle school friendships. This would be lovely to add to my middle school classroom.
March 10, 2024
Total cover grab at the library. Had been reading some heavier books and thought this would be a light cute read...haha...it's not. Anyone who reads the synopsis would know that but I did not and so I was not aware this would tackle the subject of middle school age kids coping with the death of their friend.
That said...I felt like this was very well done. Despite the animal characters...it feels like a very realistic portrayal of going through this situation at that age. I did cry at the end and it was unexpected. I mean...I was enjoying it...but the visuals in the last few pages were especially touching and heartfelt.
That said...I felt like this was very well done. Despite the animal characters...it feels like a very realistic portrayal of going through this situation at that age. I did cry at the end and it was unexpected. I mean...I was enjoying it...but the visuals in the last few pages were especially touching and heartfelt.
June 17, 2023
This was lovely. Normally I loathe books with anthropomorphic animals, but I didn't mind this because the art is really beautiful. The story is too, all about growing up, being lost and losing someone you love as well as the different ways we all cope with all those things.
July 25, 2023
This was a really sweet story, and at times a tear-jerker. A gentle exploration of grief and the many ways people, especially children, respond to it.
April 2, 2024
Such a sweet and heartbreaking graphic novel about a friend group grieving the death of their friend. The author did a beautiful job of showing the different ways people cope with loss.
July 12, 2024
A tender story about loss, grieving and how everyone is different, but we all need someone to talk to. Realistic and relatable, the coming of age/middle school theme comes together with the added story of the loss of a beloved member of the characters friends group.
June 23, 2023
What a beautiful, heartwarming, poignant read. The ending had me smiling and at the same time, in tears! A story of loss but especially of love.
January 4, 2024
This was a sweet book about grief and the ebbs and flows of friendship. Definitely something I’ll be recommending to my younger library patrons.
February 29, 2024
Quite a good story. Dramatic with the ending, but still entertaining.
March 1, 2024
This was such a good way too look at the grief process for children and teenagers.
December 31, 2023
Story 5 stars - Loss of one of the members of a close 7th-grade group using anthropomorphism.
Artwork 5 stars - The animals perfectly displayed human-like emotions.
Color 5 stars
Lettering 5 stars
Overall rating: 5 stars
I didn't realize until reading the Author's Note that this story was based upon her personal loss and that it actually took place very close geographically to where I live.
Theme/genre: Realistic fiction, animals
Setting: Frederick, Maryland
Likeable characters: Millie, Florence, Claire, Gabby, and Rosie.
Artwork 5 stars - The animals perfectly displayed human-like emotions.
Color 5 stars
Lettering 5 stars
Overall rating: 5 stars
I didn't realize until reading the Author's Note that this story was based upon her personal loss and that it actually took place very close geographically to where I live.
Theme/genre: Realistic fiction, animals
Setting: Frederick, Maryland
Likeable characters: Millie, Florence, Claire, Gabby, and Rosie.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews