The wait for Mother and Father to get home can seem eternal for a young preschooler, but Rosie uses her imagination to help her courageously pass the time with babysitter, Aunt Lily. The long afternoon drags on and shortly before parents are due to return, Rosie envisions disaster. “What if something happened? What if . . . what if . . . a tiger ate them?” Her inventive mind creates one outrageous scenario after another, explaining to Aunt Lily her resourceful, brave solutions that she herself will employ. Rosie will come to the rescue by chasing the tiger away. Kidnapped by a giant bird and thrown into the sea? No problem, Rosie will sail a ship to save them. Each episode becomes more and more outlandish as Aunt Lily playacts her fearful, nail-biting reactions, all the while encouraging Rosie’s brave, strong, undaunted, devoted “love conquers all” attitude. Chorao (Up and Down With Kate, 2002, etc.) delightfully complements Roberts’s (Birthday Mice!, 2002, etc.) yarn with pen-and-ink, colored-pencil, and gouache drawings of a squirrel family whose loveable, expressive features offset the comically exaggerated, frightful looks of Rosie’s imaginary characters as each scene builds on the previous calamity across every vibrant double-page spread. And just 25 minutes after Rosie’s initial concern, a hug-filled and joyous reunion happens as Mother and Father return “right on time.” Soothing, playful, and fun. (Picture book. 3-5)
