Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

A young girl journeys as far as her imagination can take her in search of something to bring to show and tell."Rose longed to be an explorer, a pioneer, a trailblazer. / Her heart was set on discovering something that had never been found… / …to bring to show-and-tell." Her journey is a daunting one since she does not know where to find such a treasure—or even if it exists at all—but Rose has a brilliant strategy that starts with making a map with her imagination as a guide. First her hand-drawn road map takes her to the beach, then a similar sky map leads her right up through the exosphere. Next, an ocean map helps her navigate the high seas, and finally a railroad map takes her all the way to the very last train stop—all to no avail. Marcero makes excellent use of the picture book as a storytelling vehicle. Bright, open illustrations deftly capture Rose's quest with landscapes that effortlessly dismantle the supposed opposition between the real and the imaginary. Alongside them, simple sentences move younger readers through page turns, including Rose's maps presented in vibrant double spreads, as anticipation gently builds and delightfully resolves with Rose's realization that her journey (and her maps!) is more than perfect for show and tell. That Rose is a girl of color simply makes the book all the sweeter.Lovely, lively, and enchanting for new and veteran explorers alike. (Picture book. 4-7)

ALA Booklist (Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Rose wants to be "an explorer, a pioneer, a trailblazer," and with show-and-tell approaching, she's "set on discovering something that has never been found" to bring. However, she has no idea what r where might be, so she draws a map and sets off. What ensues is a series of maps of her fanciful journeys, which take her and her cat through towns, mountains, and even into space. But while that just-right object proves elusive, as Rose and her classmates learn, she ultimately may have found something quite special to show-and-tell after all. Charming colorful illustrations depict Rose on her travels with cartoonish and whimsical touches. Interspersed are her intricately detailed, scrutiny-inviting maps, which highlight her path as she traipses through places both familiar (aquarium, library) and playful ("Daydreaming Grasslands" and bunny-shaped "Bunny Isles"). Some sophisticated vocabulary and references may need explaining (mesosphere, archipelago, sapho longwing, for example). But ultimately, Rose's maps d the sharing of her experiences owcase how imagination can inspire delight and adventures of all kinds.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

For show-and-tell, Rose wants to discover something that hasn't been found before, but she doesn't know where to look for it. So she draws maps and follows them into the sky, sea, mountains, and beyond. Does Rose find what she's looking for, or has she created it herself? Marcero's intricate mixed-media illustrations, particularly of Rose's many maps, bring this imaginative journey to life.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A young girl journeys as far as her imagination can take her in search of something to bring to show and tell."Rose longed to be an explorer, a pioneer, a trailblazer. / Her heart was set on discovering something that had never been found… / …to bring to show-and-tell." Her journey is a daunting one since she does not know where to find such a treasure—or even if it exists at all—but Rose has a brilliant strategy that starts with making a map with her imagination as a guide. First her hand-drawn road map takes her to the beach, then a similar sky map leads her right up through the exosphere. Next, an ocean map helps her navigate the high seas, and finally a railroad map takes her all the way to the very last train stop—all to no avail. Marcero makes excellent use of the picture book as a storytelling vehicle. Bright, open illustrations deftly capture Rose's quest with landscapes that effortlessly dismantle the supposed opposition between the real and the imaginary. Alongside them, simple sentences move younger readers through page turns, including Rose's maps presented in vibrant double spreads, as anticipation gently builds and delightfully resolves with Rose's realization that her journey (and her maps!) is more than perfect for show and tell. That Rose is a girl of color simply makes the book all the sweeter.Lovely, lively, and enchanting for new and veteran explorers alike. (Picture book. 4-7)

School Library Journal (Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2019)

K-Gr 3-- In this beautifully illustrated book, readers follow Rose, a young explorer on a journey to find the perfect item for show-and-tell. She ventures across town, space, and the seas on her quest to discover "something that had never been found," documenting her travels in a series of maps. In the end, she discovers a special something for show-and-tell that inspires her classmates, even though it's not exactly what she had imagined. Rose's journey is illustrated through a combination of pencil, gouache, India ink, and watercolor. Each of the four maps that Marcero has drawn is intricately designed in a different style and highlights different components of mapmaking and reading. The text throughout the story is legible, although there is a noticeable difference between the typed text of the story and the handwritten text on the maps. Some of the vocabulary is a bit advanced, but young explorers can quickly learn what the words mean through context. VERDICT An intricately illustrated and interactive book that will help children learn about mapsand how the journey is sometimes better than the destination. A strong purchase for most collections. Margaret Kennelly, iSchool at Urbana-Champaign, IL