Captain Rosalie

by Timothée de Fombelle and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

“Captain Rosalie” by Timothée de Fombelle and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. Published by Walker Books. A heart wrenching story of little Rosalie who begins a secret mission of her own while her father is at war.

The story is narrated by five and a half year old Rosalie who is sharing a secret gradually with the readers. She believes that she is a Captain on a secret mission of her own. And she is going to win a medal one day for her courage. She sits on a bench at the back of a classroom for older boys. Nobody pays attention to her. She just keeps drawing in her notebook. Her mother picks her up every evening when she returns from the factory. The schoolmaster is helping her mother by taking care of the little girl as she can’t be left alone at home.

Rosalie’s mother keeps reading her letters sent by her father. He has hardly come home two three times since the war started. The war going on is WWI. Somehow Rosalie doesn’t like what her mother seems to be reading. She prefers spending time with her rather than listening to what she feels is made up content. The war is happening far away but it’s effects can be felt everywhere though it is not plainly visible in the landscape around. One day a blue envelope is given by a gendarme (a paramilitary officer in France) to her mother after which things are never the same. She seems lost and sad. She seems to be avoiding Rosalie. What is there in the envelope? Who sent it?

Rosalie doesn’t let anyone see her notebook. One would wonder why! Is it so difficult to fit the pieces of the puzzle? Well, not really. She is paying a lot of attention in class contrary to appearance. Can she read after all? What is she going to do in her mission? Who else will be part of it? What is she going to uncover? Will she ever know the contents of her father’s letters? Will she ever lay her hands on that blue envelope? Will her mission be revealed to the “enemy ranks” before she can execute it? What will the consequences be? Will she ever get that medal that she dreams about? Read this engrossing tale packed with the themes of courage, determination, war, grief, responsibility and peace.

My seven year old loved the book. He devoured it in two sittings with me. He just couldn’t wait to know what happened next. He kept guessing and was right almost every time. The writing is beautiful and the illustrations are hauntingly beautiful in their muted tones. While there is no direct description of war, the underlying currents can be felt throughout the book. A very heavy subject dealt with so much tenderness. The irrevocable consequence of war in Rosalie’s life has been portrayed so subtly. The book is apt for children aged 8+.