Wells, Rosemary 1943–
Wells, Rosemary 1943–
PERSONAL:
Born January 29, 1943, in New York, NY; married Thomas Moore Wells (an architect), 1963; children: Victoria, Marguerite. Education: Attended Boston Museum School, Boston, MA.
ADDRESSES:
Home—Briarcliff Manor, NY.
CAREER:
Freelance author and illustrator, 1968—. Worked for Allyn & Bacon, Boston, MA, and Macmillan Publishing Co., New York, NY.
AWARDS, HONORS:
Honor Book citation, Book World Spring Children's Book Festival, 1972, for The Fog Comes on Little Pig Feet; Children's Book Showcase Award, Children's Book Council, 1974, for Noisy Nora; Citation of Merit, Society of Illustrators, 1974, for Benjamin and Tulip; Art Book for Children citation, Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Public Library, 1975, 1976, and 1977, all for Benjamin and Tulip; Irma Simonton Black Award, Bank Street College of Education, for Morris's Disappearing Bag: A Christmas Story; Edgar Allan Poe Special Award, Mystery Writers of America, 1981, for When No One Was Looking; Hazel's Amazing Mother was named one of the New York Times Best Illustrated Books, 1985; Washington Irving Children's Book Choice Award, Westchester Library Association, 1986, for Peabody, and 1988, for Max's Christmas; Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, 1989, for Shy Charles; Child Study Association Children's Books of the Year citations for Morris's Disappearing Bag and Don't Spill It Again, James; Booklist Children's Editor's Choice citations for Max's Toys: A Counting Book, Timothy Goes to School, and Through the Hidden Door; Horn Book Fanfare citation and West Australian Young Readers' Book Award, both for When No One Was Looking; International Reading Association/Children's Book Council Children's Choice citations for Timothy Goes to School, A Lion for Lewis, and Peabody; Virginia Young Readers Award, and New York Public Library Books for the Teenage citation, both for The Man in the Woods; Cooperative Children's Book Center citation for Max's Bedtime; runner-up for Edgar Allan Poe Award, Mystery Writers of America, and ALA Best Books for Young Adults citation for Through the Hidden Door; Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon for The Little Lame Prince; Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Choice Foundation, for Shy Charles; Golden Kite Award, Society of Children's Book Writers, and International Reading Association Teacher's Choices list, both for Forest of Dreams; International Reading Association Children's Choices citation for Max's Chocolate Chicken; many of Wells's books have been named among the best books of the year by School Library Journal or received American Library Association (ALA) Notable Book citations or American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists" citations.
WRITINGS:
CHILDREN'S BOOKS; SELF-ILLUSTRATED
John and Rarey, Funk (New York, NY), 1969.
Michael and the Mitten Test, Bradbury (Scarsdale, NY), 1969.
The First Child, Hawthorn (New York, NY), 1970.
Martha's Birthday, Bradbury (Scarsdale, NY), 1970.
Miranda's Pilgrims, Bradbury (Scarsdale, NY), 1970.
Unfortunately Harriet, Dial (New York, NY), 1972.
Benjamin and Tulip, Dial (New York, NY), 1973.
Noisy Nora, Dial (New York, NY), 1973.
Abdul, Dial (New York, NY), 1975.
Morris's Disappearing Bag: A Christmas Story, Dial (New York, NY), 1975.
Don't Spill It Again, James, Dial (New York, NY), 1977.
Stanley and Rhoda, Dial (New York, NY), 1978.
Good Night, Fred, Dial (New York, NY), 1981.
Timothy Goes to School, Dial (New York, NY), 1981.
A Lion for Lewis, Dial (New York, NY), 1982.
Peabody, Dial (New York, NY), 1983.
Hazel's Amazing Mother, Dial (New York, NY), 1985.
Shy Charles, Dial (New York, NY), 1988.
The Little Lame Prince (based on a story by Dinah Mulock Craik), Dial (New York, NY), 1990.
Fritz and the Mess Fairy, Dial (New York, NY), 1991.
Edward Unready for School, Dial (New York, NY), 1995.
Edward in Deep Water, Dial (New York, NY), 1995.
Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, Dial (New York, NY), 1995.
Read to Your Bunny, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Old MacDonald, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
The Bear Went over the Mountain, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
The Itsy-Bitsy Spider, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Yoko, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1998.
B-I-N-G-O, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Emily's First 100 Days of School, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2000.
Timothy Goes to School, Viking (New York, NY), 2000.
Timothy's Lost and Found Day, Viking (New York, NY), 2000.
Timothy's Class Trip: Based on Timothy Goes to School and Other Stories, Viking (New York, NY), 2001.
Be My Valentine, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.
Doris's Dinosaur, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.
Felix Feels Better, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2001.
The Halloween Parade, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.
Letters and Sounds, Puffin (New York, NY), 2001.
Mama, Don't Go!, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.
The School Play, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.
Yoko's Paper Cranes, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.
The Germ Busters, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2002.
Emily's World of Wonders, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2003.
Felix and the Worrier, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2003.
Only You, Viking (New York, NY), 2003.
My Kindergarten, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2004.
Carry Me!, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2006.
My Shining Star: Raising a Child Who Is Ready to Learn, Scholastic Press (New York, NY), 2006.
Yoko Writes Her Name, Japanese calligraphy by Masako Inkyo, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2008.
Otto Runs for President, Scholastic Press (New York, NY), 2008.
"MAX" SERIES; SELF-ILLUSTRATED
Max's First Word, Dial (New York, NY), 1979.
Max's New Suit, Dial (New York, NY), 1979.
Max's Ride, Dial (New York, NY), 1979.
Max's Toys: A Counting Book, Dial (New York, NY), 1979.
Max's Bath, Dial (New York, NY), 1985.
Max's Bedtime, Dial (New York, NY), 1985.
Max's Breakfast, Dial (New York, NY), 1985.
Max's Birthday, Dial (New York, NY), 1985.
Max's Christmas, Dial (New York, NY), 1986.
Max's Chocolate Chicken, Dial (New York, NY), 1989.
Max's Dragon Shirt, Dial (New York, NY), 1991.
Max and Ruby's First Greek Myth: Pandora's Box, Dial (New York, NY), 1993.
Max and Ruby's Midas: Another Greek Myth, Dial (New York, NY), 1995.
Bunny Money, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.
Bunny Cakes, Dial (New York, NY), 1997.
Max Cleans Up, Viking (New York, NY), 2000.
Goodnight Max, Viking (New York, NY), 2000.
Max in the Tub, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2001.
Ruby's Beauty Shop, Viking (New York, NY), 2002.
Play with Max and Ruby, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2002.
Max and Ruby Play School, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2003.
Max's Christmas Stocking, Viking (New York, NY), 2003.
Max's Valentine, Viking (New York, NY), 2003.
Bunny Mail, Penguin Group (New York, NY), 2004.
Max's Halloween, Viking (New York, NY), 2004.
Ruby's Rainy Day, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2004.
Max and Ruby's Show-and-Tell, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2006.
Max's ABC, Viking (New York, NY), 2006.
Max Counts His Chickens, Viking (New York, NY), 2007.
Ruby's Falling Leaves, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2007.
Max's Easter Surprise, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2008.
Max's Bunny Business, Viking Children's Books (New York, NY), 2008.
"VOYAGE TO THE BUNNY PLANET" SERIES; SELF-ILLUSTRATED
First Tomato: A Voyage to the Bunny Planet, Dial (New York, NY), 1992.
The Island Light: A Voyage to the Bunny Planet, Dial (New York, NY), 1992.
Moss Pillows: A Voyage to the Bunny Planet, Dial (New York, NY), 1992.
Voyage to the Bunny Planet, Viking (New York, NY), 2008.
"MCDUFF" SERIES; ILLUSTRATED BY SUSAN JEFFERS
McDuff Moves In, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1997.
McDuff Shows the Way, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1997.
McDuff Comes Home, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1997.
McDuff and the Baby, illustrated by Susan Jeffers, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1997.
McDuff's New Friend, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1998.
The McDuff Stories, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2000.
McDuff Goes to School, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.
McDuff Steps Out, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2004.
McDuff's Favorite Things, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2004.
McDuff's Hide-and-Seek, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2004.
McDuff's Wild Romp, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2005.
OTHER CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Forest of Dreams, illustrated by Susan Jeffers, Dial (New York, NY), 1988.
Lucy's Come to Stay, illustrated by Patricia Cullen-Clark, Dial (New York, NY), 1992.
Waiting for the Evening Star, illustrated by Jeffers, Dial (New York, NY), 1993.
Night Sounds, Morning Colors, pictures by David McPhail, Dial (New York, NY), 1994.
Lucy Comes to Stay, paintings by Mark Graham, Dial (New York, NY), 1994.
Lassie Come Home, illustrations by Susan Jeffers, Holt (New York, NY), 1995.
The Fisherman and His Wife: A Brand New Version, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.
The Language of Doves, pictures by Greg Shed, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.
Jack and the Beanstalk, illustrated by Norman Messenger, DK Publishing (New York, NY), 1997.
Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories, pictures by Peter McCarthy, Dial (New York, NY), 1998.
(With Susan Jeffers) Rachel Field's Hitty, Her First Hundred Years with New Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.
(With Tom Wells) The House in the Mail, illustrated by Dan Andreasen, DK Publishing (New York, NY), 1999.
Streets of Gold, pictures by Dan Andreasen, Dial (New York, NY), 1999.
Adding It Up: Based on Timothy Goes to School and Other Stories, illustrated by Michael Koelsch, Viking (New York, NY), 2001.
Discover and Explore: Based on Timothy Goes to School and Other Stories, illustrated by Michael Koelsch, Puffin (New York, NY), 2001.
How Many? How Much? Based on Timothy Goes to School and Other Stories, illustrated by Michael Koelsch, Puffin (New York, NY), 2001.
Letters and Sounds, illustrated by Michael Koelsch, Viking (New York, NY), 2001.
Ready to Read: Based on Timothy Goes to School and Other Stories, illustrated by Michael Koelsch, Viking (New York, NY), 2001.
The World around Us: Based on Timothy Goes to School and Other Stories, illustrated by Michael Koelsch, Viking (New York, NY), 2001.
Read Me a Story, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.
Make New Friends, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2002.
Practice Makes Perfect, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2002.
Timothy's Tales from Hilltop School, Viking (New York, NY), 2002.
When I Grow Up, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2002.
Wingwalker, illustrated by Brian Selznick, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2002.
The Small World of Binky Braverman, pictures by Richard Egielski, Viking (New York, NY), 2003.
Yoko's World of Kindness: Golden Rules for a Happy Classroom, interior illustrated by John Nez and Jody Wheeler, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2005.
The Miraculous Tale of the Two Maries, illustrated by Petra Mathers, Viking (New York, NY), 2006.
The Gulps, illustrated by Marc Brown, Little (New York, NY), 2007.
YOUNG ADULT FICTION
(And illustrator) The Fog Comes on Little Pig Feet, Dial (New York, NY), 1972.
None of the Above, Dial (New York, NY), 1974.
Leave Well Enough Alone, Dial (New York, NY), 1977.
When No One Was Looking, Dial (New York, NY), 1980.
The Man in the Woods, Dial (New York, NY), 1984.
(And illustrator) Through the Hidden Door, Dial (New York, NY), 1987.
Red Moon at Sharpsburg: A Novel, Viking (New York, NY), 2007.
ILLUSTRATOR
William S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, A Song to Sing, O! (from The Yeoman of the Guard), Macmillan (New York, NY), 1968.
Gilbert and Sullivan, W.S. Gilbert's "The Duke of Plaza Toro" (from The Gondoliers), Macmillan (New York, NY), 1969.
Paula Fox, Hungry Fred, Bradbury (Scarsdale, NY), 1969.
Robert W. Service, The Shooting of Dan McGrew [and] The Cremation of Sam McGee, Young Scott Books (New York, NY), 1969.
(With Susan Jeffers) Charlotte Pomerantz, Why You Look Like You When I Tend to Look Like Me, Young Scott Books (New York, NY), 1969.
Rudyard Kipling, The Cat That Walked by Himself, Hawthorn (New York, NY), 1970.
Winifred Rosen Casey, Marvin's Manhole, Dial (New York, NY), 1970.
Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, A Hot Thirsty Day, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1971.
Ellen Conford, Impossible, Possum, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1971.
Beryl Williams and Dorrit Davis, Two Sisters and Some Hornets, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1972.
Virginia A. Tashjian, editor, With a Deep-sea Smile: Story Hour Stretches for Large or Small Groups, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1974.
Lore G. Segal, Tell Me a Trudy, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 1977.
Jostein Gaarder, The Christmas Mystery, translated by Elizabeth Rokkan, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 1996.
My Very First Mother Goose, edited by Iona Opie, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1996.
Here Comes Mother Goose, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1999.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Scholastic Press (New York, NY), 2006.
Mother Goose's Little Treasures, edited by Iona Opie, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2007.
OTHER
(With Johanna Hurley) Cooking for Nitwits (adult nonfiction), Dutton (New York, NY), 1989.
(Contributor) Worlds of Childhood: The Art and Craft of Writing for Children (adult nonfiction), edited by William Zinsser, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1990.
(Contributor) So I Shall Tell You a Story: The Magic World of Beatrix Potter, Warne (New York, NY), 1993.
(With Maria Tallchief) Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina, illustrations by Gary Kelley, Viking (New York, NY), 1999.
(Creator of watercolors) E.B. White, Charlotte's Web, pictures by Garth Williams, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.
(Creator of watercolors) E.B. White, Stuart Little, pictures by Garth Williams, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.
(Creator of watercolors) Garth Williams, Benjamin's Treasure, pictures by Garth Williams, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.
(Creator of watercolors) E.B. White, Charlotte's Web, pictures by Garth Williams, HarperCollins Publishers (New York, NY), 2003.
(Creator of watercolors) Mary Stolz, Emmett's Pig, pictures by Garth Williams, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2004.
I Love You! A Bushel & a Peck, Taken from the Song "A Bushel and a Peck," words and music by Frank Loesser, HarperCollins Publishers (New York, NY), 2005.
ADAPTATIONS:
Max's Christmas and Morris's Disappearing Bag have been adapted as short films by Weston Woods.
SIDELIGHTS:
Rosemary Wells is the author and illustrator of picture books for toddlers and novels for teens. "I put into my books," she wrote in her Something about the Author Autobiography Series (SAAS) sketch, "all of the things I remember." The author went on to write in SAAS: "Those remembrances are jumbled up and churned because fiction is always more palatable than truth. They become more true as they are honed and whittled into characters and stories."
Wells began her career as an art editor in the publishing industry in the early 1960s when she took what appeared to be a temporary position filling in for a vacationing art editor at textbook publisher Allyn & Bacon. She was soon hired, however, on a permanent basis. In SAAS Wells called this her "first lucky break and the only one I ever needed." Two years later, with her husband, Tom, studying architecture at Columbia University, Wells found a job at the children's books division of Macmillan. She set her course for a career as an art director.
One day Wells heard a song from the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, The Yeoman of the Guard, and quickly made some sketches using birds, not people, to illustrate the lyrics. She gave the sketches, bound to resemble a finished book, to editor in chief Susan Hirschman. Encouraged by the success of her first book, A Song to Sing, O!, Wells decided to illustrate another Gilbert and Sullivan song, this time "The Duke of Plaza Toro" from The Gondoliers.
Wells secured her reputation as a children's editor with the books featuring Max and his sister, Ruby. After listening to how her daughter, Victoria, bossed around her younger sister Marguerite (more commonly known as Beezoo), Wells seized upon the idea for what would become the first installment in the "Max" series, Max's First Word. Working on pieces of illustration board on her drawing table, Wells took only a few hours to produce a major innovation in children's literature. In "The Well-Tempered Children's Book," Wells's essay in Worlds of Childhood: The Art and Craft of Writing for Children, she recalled: "I couldn't really understand what had happened. I had created what was clearly a picture book, but it was only sixteen pages long and wasn't for the usual nursery school and kindergarten crew. Picture books were thirty-two pages long, some even forty."
Wells's editor loved the sixteen-page story and asked her for three more. Max's Ride, Max's New Suit, and Max's Toys: A Counting Book followed. Wells noted in Worlds of Childhood: "Thus were born what came to be known in book circles as ‘board books’—books that could survive a certain amount of infant vandalizing without coming apart and, even more important, could make mothers and fathers and their babies laugh at themselves and each other and the world around them."
Max and Ruby are only two of the many characters Wells has created for her picture books—each one an individual with his or her own engaging childhood drama. Often, as did Max and Ruby, these characters appear in their own series. Edward, the "unready" little bear, stars in three books about overcoming fear: Edward Unready for School, Edward in Deep Water, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight. Yoko, Timothy, Charles, and Nora make up another set of young animals—all students in Mrs. Jenkins's class, they often share in each other's stories.
Wells worked with illustrator Susan Jeffers to create the "McDuff" stories, starring the irrepressible West Highland terrier whom a young couple adopts. Wells joined forces with Caldecott award-winning artist Brian Selznick on 2002's Wingwalker, a book for slightly older readers that tells of a young boy's pivotal summer. "This big-hearted, Depression-era, American fairy tale seems to come alive out of a former generation like a well-worn family yarn," a Kirkus Reviews contributor wrote. Wells also collaborated with her husband to create The House in the Mail, what Booklist's Connie Fletcher called "a remarkable picture book for older children"; it takes the form of a scrapbook kept by a young girl in the 1920s as her family builds their mail-order house.
Interaction, particularly sibling rivalry, surfaces among family members in Wells's juvenile fiction, as well as in several of her young adult novels. However, Wells's novels for young people differ so much from her picture books that even librarians are often startled to find the same person wrote them. Some readers might even question why such a successful illustrator would write lengthy books, mostly with no illustrations.
Wells's first young-adult novel, The Fog Comes on Little Pig Feet, includes about a half a dozen full-page line drawings to illustrate the story. It is the only young adult novel she illustrated throughout, although her 1987 mystery novel, Through the Hidden Door, does contain a few of her small drawings.
For inspiration for The Fog Comes on Little Pig Feet, Wells searched her own memories. The novel tells the story of Rachel Saseekian, who at thirteen is sent unwillingly to a boarding school. The novel is told in diary form through entries covering a two-week period. Critics praised Wells for using many autobiographical details to help the main character come alive. "The book won raves, with most reviewers impressed by the real-life feel of the chief character," Publishers Weekly's Jean F. Mercier wrote. Mrs. John G. Gray wrote in Best Sellers that The Fog Comes On Little Pig Feet proves Wells's "writing abilities are an easy match for her already famous artistic talents."
With Leave Well Enough Alone, Wells began writing mystery novels for young adults. The teenaged protagonists of Wells's mysteries must make important ethical choices, with the wrong ones possibly leading to physical danger. Wells, predictably, again bases her narrative on her past. Wells weaves the story of Dorothy Coughlin, aged fourteen, from Newburgh, New York, who spends one summer working as a mother's helper in Pennsylvania, as did Wells at that age. Wells sets the novel in 1956, when she began her teens.
In When No One Was Looking, Wells features Kathy Bardy, a fourteen-year-old tennis star from Plymouth, Massachusetts, who loves tennis but harbors a secret ambition—as Wells did, according to her SAAS entry—to be a baseball player. Kathy looks forward to the New England Championship competition where a win would guarantee her a spot in the nationals. As Paul Heins wrote in Horn Book, while When No One Was Looking begins "as a story of athletic prowess, the novel gradually develops as a series of moral issues that take on tragic overtones." When Ruth Gumm, the one tennis player skilled enough to beat Kathy, is found dead in the swimming pool at the Plymouth Bath and Tennis Club where Kathy practices with her coach, Marty, Kathy and her supporters are immediately under suspicion. One by one the suspects are cleared, but Kathy feels compelled to continue her sleuthing even after the real detectives consider the case closed. Her moral compulsion to solve the crime leads her to an unexpected conclusion.
Realizing what consequences the truth will bring, Kathy cries bitterly to herself: "If only I hadn't bothered to go down to the police station, then at least I wouldn't know. I don't want to know. Why wasn't it enough for me to just know that I didn't do it?"
Robert Unsworth observed in School Library Journal: "There is a lot to this novel and most of it is excellent." Anne Tyler wrote in the New York Times Book Review that the book "has energy and style, and it ought to rivet the most restless young reader."
As in Wells's earlier novels, The Man in the Woods features a teenage heroine who must struggle with a moral dilemma. In this case, Helen Curragh, also fourteen, tries to figure out the identity of the Punk Rock Thrower after she accidentally sees him causing yet another car crash after breaking its windshield with a tossed rock. Helen and fifteen-year-old Pinky Levy meet on the second day of school at New Bedford Regional High School, discover they are both on the staff of the school paper, the Whaler, and soon become embroiled in a frantic search through New Bedford documents, dating to the Civil War. Together they gather clues, narrowly escape death, and uncover a secret one of New Bedford's oldest families has been covering up for more than a hundred years. As the story ends, Helen must decide whether to write a story for the Whaler about their search and have a chance at being the first freshman ever to win the coveted gold medal for best story of the year, or to keep what she knows to herself.
Drew Stevenson, in School Library Journal, found the historical details in The Man in the Woods "a fascinating subplot," and in an additional comment wrote: "The book … boasts an array of interesting characters, deftly brought to life."
Although Pinky figured prominently in The Man in the Woods, Through the Hidden Door is Wells's first young adult offering that depends almost entirely on male characters. Barney Pennimen, from Landry, Colorado, attends Winchester Boys' Academy in the East because his mother is dead and his father's antiques business requires travel. Like parents in other Wells novels, Barney's father has ambitious goals for his son. "The Plan," according to Barney, includes the following: "Go to Winchester. Graduate with honors. Go on to Hotchkiss. Graduate with honors. Get into Harvard. Magma cum laude from there and on to Yale or Oxford (as he did)." Barney is an honor student who, to fit in, befriends a group of cruel but popular boys. As the friendships go sour and even the school headmaster turns against him, Barney seeks the company of Snowy Cobb, a bookish freshman loner. The younger boy eventually leads Barney to a hidden cave where the two spend hours uncovering archaeological treasures. The cave becomes a safe haven for Snowy and Barney.
Through the Hidden Door was a runner-up for the Edgar Allan Poe Award of the Mystery Writers of America and received citations recognizing it as both one of the American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults and one of Booklist's Children's Editor's Choices for the year.
"I believe," Wells wrote in Worlds of Childhood, "that all stories and plays and paintings and songs and dances come from a palpable but unseen space in the cosmos. Ballets and symphonies written during our lifetime were there before we were born. According to how gifted we are, we are all given a large or small key to this treasury of wonders. I have been blessed with a small key to the world of the young."
Wells has continued to write and illustrate children's books and novels for young adults. In My Kindergarten, the author features Emily, who had appeared in previous books, including Emily's First 100 Days of School. This tale has Emily describing her year in kindergarten month-by-month. "This treat of an off-to-school book will fit into any kindergartner's backpack," wrote Robin Smith in Horn Book. A Publishers Weekly contributor referred to My Kindergarten as an "informative and reassuring picture book, illustrated with [Wells's] characteristic panels and spreads of well-dressed animal characters."
Carry Me! features Wells's famous bunny characters and tells their story with poetry in this tale that includes three poems: "Carry Me," about a baby that loves to be carried; "Talk to Me," about a bunny eager to learn; and "Sing to Me," which features rhythmic word play featuring bunnies and the four seasons. "Wells's devoted fans will clamor for her latest title," wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor of the 2006 publication. Ilene Cooper wrote in Booklist that the author "makes carrying, singing, and talking to children irresistible."
Wells's bunny characters are also featured in My Shining Star: Raising a Child Who Is Ready to Learn. Although presented in a children's format, "this gem of a picture book is directed to adults," noted Julie Cummins in Booklist. In the book, the author lays out ten principles to help a child succeed in school.
Wells is also the author of The Miraculous Tale of the Two Maries, illustrated by Petra Mathers. The story is borrowed from an old French tale about saints. In Wells's version, the two Maries are young girls in the nineteenth century who die young in a boating accident. In the afterlife, they spend their time doing good for the people of a town that is named Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer after the sisters. "It's certainly an oddball tale, but it has its own logic and whimsical devoutness," noted Roger Sutton in Horn Book. A contributor to Publishers Weekly noted that the author "crafts a fanciful imagining of the [girls'] short earthly lives, and longer Heavenly ones."
The Gulps, illustrated by Marc Brown, features an overweight family off on a trip to Dizzyland, all the while chomping on Cheezie Chips, Koko Snax, and other unhealthy foods. Finally, after one food stop, the Gulps's van can no longer transport the family, who are getting bigger as the trip progresses. Eventually, after getting stuck in a ride at the amusement park, the Gulps decide to change their eating habits. "Wells's peppy narrative and Brown's playful gouache on wood paintings serve up a strong message that may need a spoonful of sugar to go down," wrote a contributor to Publishers Weekly. Another reviewer writing in California Bookwatch called The Gulps "a fun story and a realistic message."
In Yoko's World of Kindness: Golden Rules for a Happy Classroom, illustrated by John Nez and Jody Wheeler, the author presents rules focusing on classroom behavior and harmony via this anthology of six stories previously published as individual volumes featuring Yoko, the Frank Twins, Noisy Nora, Timothy, and their teacher, Mrs. Jenkins. Writing in School Library Journal, Rachel G. Payne noted that "all of the lessons are gently told in lighthearted prose."
The author has also continued to contribute to her series of books featuring the bunny Max and his sister, Ruby. In Max's ABC, the author tells via the alphabet the story of Max's ants escaping from his ant farm and how Max and Ruby get them back. "Alphabet books are hardly scarce, but you will still want to reserve a spot for this one," wrote Jennifer Mattson in Booklist. Horn Book contributor Joanna Rudge long called the book "a handsome, clever charmer." Max Counts His Chickens features Max and Ruby hunting for ten marshmallow chicks the Easter Bunny has hidden. "Along with the delightful story comes a 1-to-10 counting lesson," wrote Julie Cummins in Booklist. Susan E. Murray wrote in the School Library Journal: "The fun of counting, along with the humor in the little rabbit's search strategies, will entertain listeners." In Max's Bunny Business, Max competes against his sister and her friend in a roadside business. Booklist contributor Hazel Rochman called the tale "another winner about rabbit siblings Max and Ruby."
Wells's "McDuff" series for preschoolers featuring the West Highland terrier also continues. In McDuff's Wild Romp McDuff and his owners go to visit Aunt Frieda for Sunday dinner. Once there, McDuff encounters a mean cat named Purlina who is vying with McDuff for tidbits of food that are dropped on the floor by the family's baby. Shelle Rosenfeld wrote in Booklist that the tale "will have solid appeal for children (and adults) who delight in cute pooches."
Wells's 2007 novel Red Moon at Sharpsburg: A Novel is narrated by twelve-year-old India Mooney. The year is 1861 and Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where India lives, is engulfed by the Civil War. "History becomes as real as the present in this fine novel," commented Claire Rosser in Kliatt. The novel features young India telling of the sacrifices that people must make and the tragedies they face, including the death of India's own father. India also has her own adventures, which include saving a Yankee soldier while she is out hunting her missing tutor, Emory Trimble. "Wells's prose often says more than facts could," wrote a contributor to Publishers Weekly. Writing in Horn Book, Vicky Smith called the novel "an affecting tale whose precise, poetic language wrings a maximum of emotion out of every word."
In addition to her own writings, Wells also continues to serve as an illustrator for classic children's books by other authors or editors. For example, she is the illustrator for Mother Goose's Little Treasures. Published in 2007, the bok includes twenty-two short fragments of little-known nursing rhymes, edited by Iona Opie. Writing in Booklist, Julie Cummins noted that the illustrations depict "Wells' inspired playfulness."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
BOOKS
Children's Literature Review, Volume 69, Gale (Detroit, MI), 2001.
Sadker, Myra Pollack, and David Miller Sadker, Now upon a Time: A Contemporary View of Children's Literature, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1977, pp. 66-67.
St. James Guide to Children's Writers, fifth edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.
Silvey, Anita, editor, Children's Books and Their Creators, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995.
Something about the Author Autobiography Series, Volume 1, 1986, Gale (Detroit, MI), pp. 279-291.
Wells, Rosemary, The Fog Comes on Little Pig Feet, Dial (New York, NY), 1972.
Wells, Rosemary, None of the Above, Dial (New York, NY), 1974.
Wells, Rosemary, Leave Well Enough Alone, Dial (New York, NY), 1977.
Wells, Rosemary, When No One Was Looking, Dial (New York, NY), 1980.
Wells, Rosemary, Through the Hidden Door, Dial (New York, NY), 1987.
Zinsser, William, editor, Worlds of Childhood: The Art and Craft of Writing for Children, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1990, pp. 121-143.
PERIODICALS
Best Sellers, July 15, 1972, Mrs. John G. Gray, review of The Fog Comes on Little Pig Feet, p. 200.
Bookbird, Volume 37, number 2, 1999, review of Yoko, p. 64.
Booklist, May 1, 1995, review of Max and Ruby's Midas: Another Greek Myth, p. 1581; September 1, 1995, reviews of Edward in Deep Water, Edward Unready for School, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 75; December 1, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 637; January 1, 1996, review of Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 744; August, 1996, review of The Language of Doves, p. 1909; January 1, 1997, Hazel Rochman, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 857; April 1, 1997, review of McDuff Moves In, p. 1331; June 1, 1997, review of McDuff Comes Home, p. 1723; August, 1997, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Noisy Nora, p. 1908; September 15, 1997, review of McDuff and the Baby, p. 243; November 1, 1997, review of Jack and the Beanstalk, p. 476; December 15, 1997, review of Noisy Nora, p. 707; January 1, 1998, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 736; March 1, 1998, Denia Hester, review of Pussycat, Pussycat and Other Rhymes, p. 1141; May 1, 1998, review of Read to Your Bunny, p. 1524; July, 1998, Helen Rosenberg, review of The Fisherman and His Wife: A Brand New Version, p. 1884; September 1, 1998, review of Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories, p. 113; review of Bunny Cakes, p. 130; November 15, 1998, review of Yoko, p. 589; December 1, 1998, review of McDuff's New Friend, p. 673; December 15, 1998, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Itsy-Bitsy Spider and The Bear Went over the Mountain, p. 756; January 1, 1999, review of Yoko, p. 785; May 1, 1999, review of Streets of Gold, p. 1593; November 15, 1999, review of Rachel Field's Hitty, p. 638; January 1, 2000, Shelley Townsend-Hudson, review of Morris's Disappearing Bag: A Christmas Story, p. 938; March 1, 2000, Stephanie Zvirin, reviews of Mary on Horseback and Streets of Gold, p. 1249; June 1, 2000, Hazel Rochman, review of Timothy Goes to School, p. 1911; February 1, 2001, Kathy Broderick, review of Max Cleans Up, p. 1059; May 1, 2001, Hazel Rochman, review of Felix Feels Better, p. 1693; August, 2001, review of Bunny Party, p. 2133; September 15, 2001, Hazel Rochman, review of Yoko's Paper Cranes, p. 233; October 1, 2001, review of McDuff Goes to School, p. 330; November 1, 2001, review of The Language of Doves, p. 475; December 15, 2001, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Felix Feels Better, p. 728; March 1, 2002, Connie Fletcher, review of The House in the Mail, p. 1137; July, 2002, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of McDuff Saves the Day, p. 1861; August, 2002, Hazel Rochman, review of Ruby's Beauty Shop, p. 1977; January 1, 2004, Julie Kline, review of Only You/Solo Tu, p. 883; August, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of My Kindergarten, p. 1949; January 1, 2005, review of My Kindergarten, p. 776; June 1, 2005, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of McDuff's Wild Romp, p. 1826; November 1, 2005, Ilene Cooper, review of Carry Me!, p. 41; March 1, 2006, Jennifer Mattson, review of The Miraculous Tale of the Two Maries, p. 90; May 15, 2006, Julie Cummins, review of My Shining Star: Raising a Child Who Is Ready to Learn, p. 48; June 1, 2006, Jennifer Mattson, review of Max's ABC, p. 90; January 1, 2007, Julie Cummins, review of Max Counts His Chickens, p. 93; March 1, 2007, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of The Gulps, p. 90; April 15, 2007, Jennifer Mattson, review of Red Moon atSharpsburg: A Novel, p. 52; September 1, 2007, Julie Cummins, review of Mother Goose's Little Treasures, p. 117; March 1, 2008, Hazel Rochman, review of Max's Bunny Business, p. 73.
Books, April, 1996, review of Edward the Unready, p. 26; April, 1997, review of Jack and the Beanstalk, p. 24.
Books for Keeps, March, 1998, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 21; May, 1998, review of Bunny Money, p. 3; March, 1999, review of Noisy Nora, p. 19.
Book World, October 1, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 6; May 4, 1997, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 18; December 9, 2001, review of Yoko's Paper Cranes, p. 8.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, June, 1995, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 362; November, 1995, reviews of Edward Unready for School, Edward in Deep Water, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 108; February, 1996, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 208; September, 1996, review of The Language of Doves, p. 36; March, 1997, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 261; April, 1997, review of McDuff Moves In, p. 300; October, 1997, review of Bunny Money, p. 71; April, 1998, review of Read to Your Bunny, p. 300; January, 1999, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 184; July, 1999, review of Streets of Gold, p. 405; May, 2001, reviews of Letters and Sounds and How Many? How Much?, p. 339; June, 2001, review of Felix Feels Better, p. 391; December, 2001, review of Yoko's Paper Cranes, p. 155.
California Bookwatch, July, 2006, "Scholastic Inc."
Catholic Library World, June, 1996, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 48; June, 1998, review of Jack and the Beanstalk, p. 60.
Children's Book and Play Review, March, 2001, review of Timothy Goes to School, p. 25; May, 2001, review of The Man in the Woods, p. 26; September, 2001, review of Felix Feels Better, p. 26; November, 2001, review of Emily's First 100 Days of School, p. 20.
Children's Book Review Service, December, 1996, review of The Language of Doves, p. 43; June, 1997, review of McDuff Comes Home, p. 125; September, 1998, review of The Fisherman and His Wife, p. 8; November, 1998, review of Yoko, p. 30; December, 1998, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 43; July, 1999, review of Streets of Gold, p. 151.
Children's Bookwatch, December, 1995, review of Edward Unready for School, p. 4; October, 1996, review of The Language of Doves, p. 5; March, 1997, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 7; June, 1997, review of McDuff Moves In, p. 6; October, 1997, review of Bunny Money, p. 6; January, 1998, review of McDuff and the Baby, p. 1; June, 1998, review of Read to Your Bunny, p. 6; December, 1998, reviews of McDuff's New Friend and Max's Christmas, p. 1, review of The Fisherman and His Wife, p. 4; July, 1999, review of Streets of Gold, p. 2; October, 1999, review of Yoko, p. 6; February, 2001, review of Max Cleans Up, p. 3; December, 2001, review of Bunny Party, p. 7; May, 2007, review of The Gulps.
Christian Science Monitor, September 28, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. B1.
Commonweal, December 1, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 25.
Early Childhood Education Journal, winter, 1999, review of The Itsy-Bitsy Spider, p. 105.
Emergency Librarian, November, 1995, reviews of Edward in Deep Water, Edward Unready for School, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 45; January, 1996, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 42; March, 1996, review of Edward Unready for School, p. 56.
Five Owls, November, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 35; January, 1996, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 50, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 52.
Globe and Mail, January 20, 2001, review of Max Cleans Up, p. D13; April 28, 2001, review of Felix Feels Better, p. D37; November 17, 2001, review of McDuff Goes to School, p. D26.
Horn Book, October, 1980, Paul Heins, review of When No One Was Looking, pp. 529-530; September-October, 1984, review of The Man in the Woods, pp. 601-602; May-June, 1987, Roger Sutton, "A Second Look: None of the Above. (Analysis of Rosemary Wells's Novel for Young Adults)," pp. 368-371; July, 1995, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 455; November, 1995, reviews of Edward Unready for School, Edward in Deep Water, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 739; March, 1996, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 192; March, 1997, review of Max's First Word, p. 186; July-August, 1997, Elizabeth S. Watson, reviews of McDuff Comes Home and McDuff Moves In, pp. 446-447; January-February, 1998, Roger Sutton, review of McDuff and the Baby, p. 65; November, 1998, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 744; November, 1999, Matha V. Parravano, review of Here Comes Mother Goose, p. 749; January, 2000, Cathryn Mercier, review of Rachel Field's Hitty, p. 107; September, 2001, Kitty Flynn, review of Bunny Party, p. 579; January-February, 2002, Kitty Flynn, review of McDuff Goes to School, pp. 73- 74; July-August, 2004, Robin Smith, review of My Kindergarten; March-April, 2006, Roger Sutton, review of The Miraculous Tale of the Two Maries; May-June, 2006, Joanna Rudge Long, review of Max's ABC; May-June, 2007, Vicky Smith, review of Red Moon at Sharpsburg.
Horn Book Guide, spring, 1995, review of Night Sounds, Morning Colors, p. 60; fall, 1995, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 286; spring, 1996, reviews of Edward Unready for School, Edward in Deep Water, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 16, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 58; spring, 1997, review of The Language of Doves, p. 53; fall, 1997, review of Noisy Nora, p. 285, reviews of Bunny Cakes, McDuff Comes Home, and McDuff Moves In, p. 284; spring, 1998, review of McDuff and the Baby, p. 20, review of Bunny Money, p. 52, review of Jack and the Beanstalk, p. 109, review of Noisy Nora, p. 118; fall, 1998, reviews of Read to Your Bunny, Old MacDonald, Max's Toys, Max's Ride, Max's New Suit, Max's First Word, Max's Breakfast, Max's Birthday, Max's Bedtime, and Max's Bath, p. 281; spring, 1999, reviews of The Itsy-Bitsy Spider, Max's Christmas, and The Bear Went over the Mountain, p. 19, review of Yoko and McDuff's New Friend, p. 48, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 76, review of The Fisherman and His Wife, p. 99; fall, 1999, review of Max's Chocolate Chicken, p. 242; spring, 2001, review of Timothy Goes to School, p. 25; fall, 2001, reviews of Letters and Sounds and How Many? How Much?, p. 233, reviews of Max Cleans Up and Felix Feels Better, p. 243, review of The McDuff Stories, p. 280.
Instructor, April, 1996, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 60; May, 1996, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 69; January, 1998, review of Bunny Cakes and Bunny Money, p. 30; May, 1998, review of McDuff Moves In, p. 60, review of Bunny Money, p. 61; May, 1999, review of McDuff Moves In and Bunny Cakes, p. 12.
Journal of Youth Services in Libraries, fall, 1995, review of Waiting for the Evening Star, p. 101; January, 1998, reviews of McDuff and the Baby, McDuff Comes Home, and McDuff Moves In, p. 30.
Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 1995, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 641; October 1, 1995, review of Edward in Deep Water, p. 1437; October 15, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 1504; August 1, 1996, review of The Language of Doves, p. 1159; January 1, 1997, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 67; March 1, 1997, review of McDuff Moves In, p. 389; July 15, 1997, review of Bunny Money, p. 1119; November 15, 1998, review of McDuff's New Friend, p. 1673, review of Yoko, p. 1674; August 15, 2001, review of McDuff Goes to School and Bunny Party, p. 1222, review of Yoko's Paper Cranes, p. 1223; May 15, 2002, review of McDuff Saves the Day, p. 743; April 15, 2002, review of Wingwalker, p. 581; June 15, 2002, review of Timothy's Tales from Hilltop School, p. 890; July 15, 2002, review of Ruby's Beauty Shop, p. 1047; June 15, 2004, review of My Kindergarten, p. 582; January 1, 2006, review of Carry Me!, p. 46; February 1, 2006, review of The Miraculous Tale of the Two Maries, p. 138; April 15, 2006, review of Max's ABC, p. 418; December 15, 2006, review of Max Counts His Chickens, p. 1274; March 15, 2007, review of Red Moon at Sharpsburg; March 15, 2007, review of The Gulps; August 1, 2007, review of Mother Goose's Little Treasures; April 1, 2008, review of Max's Bunny Business.
Kliatt, March, 2007, Claire Rosser, review of Red Moon at Sharpsburg, p. 20.
Learning, November, 1997, review of Bunny Money, p. 29.
Library Talk, September, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 23; June 1, 1998, review of The Fisherman and His Wife, p. 817.
Los Angeles Times Book Review, December 3, 1995, reviews of Edward in Deep Water, Edward Unready for School, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 30; June 14, 1998, review of Max and Ruby's Midas and Max and Ruby's First Greek Myth: Pandora's Box, p. 11.
Magpies, March, 1996, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 33; July, 1997, reviews of Edward's First Swimming Party, Edward's First Night Away, and Edward's First Day at School, p. 28; November, 1997, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 27; March, 1999, review of The Fisherman and His Wife, p. 31; March 15, 2001, review of Felix Feels Better, p. 423.
Newsweek, November 27, 1995, reviews of Edward in Deep Water, Edward Unready for School, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 82.
New York Times Book Review, February 1, 1981, Anne Tyler, review of When No One Was Looking, p. 28; November 19, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 37; January 28, 1996, reviews of Edward in Deep Water, Edward Unready for School, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 27; April 11, 1999, review of Yoko, p. 32; November 21, 1999, review of Rachel Field's Hitty, p. 45.
Parents, December, 1995, review of Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 229; December, 1997, review of Bunny Cakes and Bunny Money, p. 202, reviews of McDuff and the Baby, McDuff Comes Home, and McDuff Moves In, p. 204; December, 1998, review of Yoko, p. 234.
Parents' Choice, September, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 3; November, 1995, reviews of Edward in Deep Water, Edward Unready for School, and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, p. 3; March, 1997, review of The Language of Doves, p. 8; December 21, 1997, reviews of McDuff and the Baby, McDuff Comes Home, and McDuff Moves In, p. 18.
Publishers Weekly, February 29, 1980, Jean F. Mercier, "Rosemary Wells (PW Interview)," pp. 72-73; February 27, 1987, "My Say: Rosemary Wells," p. 146; May 15, 1995, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 71; September 18, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 130, review of Edward in Deep Water, p. 131; November 6, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 68; July, 1996, review of The Language of Doves, p. 60; August 5, 1996, review of My Very First Mother Goose, p. 442; November 25, 1996, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 74; January 27, 1997, review of Max's Dragon Shirt, p. 108; February 17, 1997, review of McDuff Moves In, p. 218; April 7, 1997, review of Noisy Nora, p. 93; May 26, 1997, review of Bunny Money, p. 85; August 25, 1997, review of McDuff and the Baby, p. 73; November 3, 1997, review of McDuff Comes Home, McDuff and the Baby, and McDuff Moves In, p. 59; December 15, 1997, review of Waiting for the Evening Star, p. 78; February 16, 1998, reviews of Max's New Suit, Max's First Word, Max's Breakfast, and Max's Birthday, p. 213; June 28, 2004, review of My Kindergarten, p. 49; November 14, 2005, review of Carry Me!, p. 67; March 27, 2006, review of The Miraculous Tale of the Two Maries, p. 82; January 15, 2007, review of The Gulps, p. 50; April 9, 2007, review of Red Moon at Sharpsburg, p. 54; August 20, 2007, review of Mother Goose's Little Treasures, p. 67.
Reading Teacher, October, 1996, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 134; December, 1997, review of The Language of Doves, p. 335; January 26, 1998, review of Read to Your Bunny, p. 90; March 23, 1998, review of Old MacDonald, p. 101; July 6, 1998, review of The Fisherman and His Wife, p. 60; September 14, 1998, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 70; September 28, 1998, review of McDuff's New Friend and Max's Christmas, p. 62; October 5, 1998, reviews of The Itsy Bitsy Spider and The Bear Went over the Mountain, p. 93; October 12, 1998, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 79; October 19, 1998, review of Yoko, p. 78; October, 1998, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 150; January 25, 1999, review of Max's Chocolate Chicken, p. 98; March 1, 1999, review of B-I-N-G-O, p. 71; April 19, 1999, review of Streets of Gold, p. 73; August 16, 1999, review of Read to Your Bunny, p. 87; September, 1999, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 83; October 11, 1999, review of Rachel Field's Hitty, p. 76; October 25, 1999, review of Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina, p. 80; November, 1999, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 253; December, 1999, review of Streets of Gold, p. 351; October 16, 2000, reviews of Mary on Horseback and When No One Was Looking, p. 78; June 4, 2001, review of Felix Feels Better, p. 79; September 3, 2001, review of McDuff Goes to School, p. 89; October 8, 2001, reviews of The School Play and Mama, Don't Go!, p. 67; October 29, 2001, reviews of Ready to Read and Adding It Up, p. 66; November 5, 2001, review of Max's Snowsuit, p. 71; March 25, 2002, review of Wingwalker, p. 65; May 27, 2002, review of Happy Anniversary, Charlotte & Wilbur, p. 61.
Reading Today, April-May, 2006, "Raising a ‘Shining Star.’"
School Librarian, February, 1996, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 18; November, 1997, review of Jack and the Beanstalk, p. 188.
School Library Journal, October, 1980, Robert Unsworth, review of When No One Was Looking, p. 159; May, 1984, Drew Stevenson, review of The Man in the Woods, p. 104; April, 1987, David Gale, review of Through the Hidden Door, p. 114; May, 1995, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 97; September, 1996, review of The Language of Doves, p. 193; January, 1997, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 94; May, 1997, reviews of McDuff Moves In and Bunny Cakes, p. 116; July, 1997, reviews of Bunny Money and McDuff Comes Home, p. 78; August, 1997, review of Noisy Nora, p. 181; November, 1997, review of Max and Ruby's First Greek Myth, p. 41, review of Bunny Cakes, p. 188; December, 1997, review of Bunny Cakes and McDuff Moves In, p. 29, review of Jack and the Beanstalk, p. 103; January, 1998, review of Max and Ruby's First Greek Myth, p. 43; March, 1998, review of Read to Your Bunny, p. 189; May, 1998, review of McDuff Moves In, p. 53; July, 1998, review of Max's Ride, Max's Toys, Max's Bedtime, and Max's Bath, p. 86; August, 1998, review of The Fisherman and His Wife, p. 157; October, 1998, reviews of Yoko and Old MacDonald, p. 118, review of McDuff's New Friend, p. 46, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 130; December, 1998, reviews of Yoko and Mary on Horseback, p. 28; February, 1999, reviews of The Itsy-Bitsy Spider and The Bear Went over the Mountain, p. 91; June, 1999, review of Streets of Gold, p. 124; July, 1999, review of B-I-N-G-O, p. 83; May, 2001, review of Felix Feels Better, p. 138; August, 2001, review of Bunny Party, p. 166; October, 2001, Linda M. Kenton, review of Discover and Explore: Based on Timothy Goes to School and Other Stories, p. 147; November, 2001, Rosalyn Pierini, review of Yoko's Paper Cranes, p. 138; December, 2001, review of McDuff Goes to School, p. 114, Lisa Gangemi Krapp, review of The World around Us: Based on Timothy Goes to School and Other Stories, p. 129; January, 2002, Marilyn Taniguchi, review of Mama, Don't Go!, p. 112; March, 2002, Grace Oliff, review of The House in the Mail, pp. 205-206; May, 2002, Heide Piehler, review of Wingwalker, p. 162; July, 2002, Shara Alpern, review of Be My Valentine, p. 100, Janie Schomberg, review of The Germ Busters, pp. 100-101; August, 2002, Maryann H. Owen, review of McDuff Saves the Day, p. 172; July, 2004, Lisa G. Kropp, review of Emily's First 100 Days of School, p. 45; July, 2004, Lisa G. Kropp, review of My Kindergarten, p. 45; August, 2004, Lisa Gangemi Kropp, review of My Kindergarten, p. 103; April, 2005, Bina Williams, review of McDuff's Wild Romp, p. 115; October, 2005, Rachel G. Payne, review of Yoko's World of Kindness: Golden Rules for a Happy Classroom, p. 134; January, 2006, Maryann H. Owen, review of Carry Me!, p. 115; March, 2006, Catherine Callegari, review of The Miraculous Tale of the Two Maries, p. 204; May, 2006, Jacki Kellum, review of Max's ABC, p. 106; February, 2007, Susan E. Murray, review of Max Counts His Chickens, p. 98; March, 2007, Shannon Seglin, review of Red Moon at Sharpsburg, p. 220; March, 2007, Gloria Koster, review of The Gulps, p. 190; April, 2007, review of Red Moon at Sharpsburg, p. 73; September, 2007, Lauralyn Persson, review of Mother Goose's Little Treasures, p. 185.
Smithsonian, November, 1996, review of The Language of Doves, p. 173.
Social Education, April, 1997, review of The Language of Doves, p. 13; May, 1999, review of Mary on Horseback, p. 10.
Teacher Librarian, March, 1999, review of Yoko, p. 44; May 1999, Shirley Lewis, review of Yoko, p. 48.
Time, December 7, 1998, review of Yoko, p. 220.
Times Educational Supplement, September 29, 1995, review of Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 13; April 5, 1996, reviews of Helping Children Cope with Divorce and Helping Children Cope with Grief, p. 12; September 27, 1996, reviews of Edward's First Swimming Party, Edward's First Night Away, and Edward's First Day at School, p. 12; September 21, 2001, review of Making Friends with Your Stepchildren, p. 21.
Tribune Books (Chicago, IL), August 13, 1995, review of Edward Unready for School, p. 3; November 12, 1995, review of Lassie Come Home, p. 6; June 3, 2001, review of Felix Feels Better, p. 4.
Wilson Library Bulletin, January, 1995, review of Noisy Nora (audio recording), p. 114.
ONLINE
Book Page,http://www.bookpage.com/ (March 4, 2003), Deborah Hopkinson, "The Magic of Rosemary Wells."
CM: Canadian Review of Materials,http://www.umanitoba.ca/cm/ (June 5, 1998), Dave Jenkinson, review of Read to Your Bunny.
Horn Book,http://www.hbook.com/ (March 4, 2003), "Horn Book Radio Review," Rosemary Wells interviewed by Anita Silvey.
Rosemary Wells Home Page,http://www.rosemarywells.com (May 9, 2008).