Rosie and the Hobby Farm by Kolina Cicero, Illustrated by Khoa Le

Rosie and the Hobby Farm by Kolina Cicero, with exquisite illustrations by Khoa Le, is an educational yet poetic picture book about the importance of nurturing a caring relationship with the world around you, which ticks all the boxes for superlative children’s literature. Rosie lives at the Hobby Farm with her dog Keeper where she explores the countryside, meeting a cat, a bird, a horse, a pigmy goat, and many other friends. As the seasons roll on, each animal teaches an important lesson, such as the value of patience and self-care, which is subtly bolded in red, while Rosie gives her new friend a name according to the scene. With illustrations as strong as you’ll find in children’s books, and prose that doesn’t rely on rhyme to convey an enchanting sense of wonder, this is a picture book of the highest caliber that children and their parents will want to revisit.