Captain Rosalie

A parent might reach for this book when helping a child process difficult world news or the reality of a parent's deployment. Set in France during World War I, it follows five-year-old Rosalie, who sits quietly at the back of a schoolhouse while her mother works. Everyone thinks she is just waiting patiently, but Rosalie is a captain on a secret mission: to learn to read so she can understand the truth of her father's letters from the front. This short, poetic chapter book is a powerful yet gentle exploration of courage, family love, and the painful discovery of loss. For mature 8 to 12-year-olds, it provides a safe space to discuss how children find strength and seek truth even in the darkest of times.