A Chip Off the Old Block

November 20, 2017
Rocky the rock wants to do “big things,” an open-ended goal that gives Shaffer’s geological epic plenty of latitude. Rocky remembers his famous Uncle Gibraltar and his Aunt Etna before setting off on a quest that has him visiting some local relatives. He gets blown off the Wave in Arizona, washed off Wyoming’s Devil’s Tower, and knocked off sauropod tracks in Texas before finding his place in the world as a patch for Lincoln’s cracked nose at Mt. Rushmore. (The monument’s faces do crack from time to time, an author’s note explains.) Miyares (That Neighbor Kid) paints Rocky on heavily textured paper, adding depth and richness to his spreads; saturated reds and purples contribute drama. It’s tough to cast a rock as a main character, but Shaffer (Prudence the Part-Time Cow) comes up with lots of ways a rock can travel and uses every geological pun she can think of (“It was clear the two of them didn’t share the same sediment”). Rock hounds and teachers doing earth science units are a natural audience. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agency: Studio Goodwin Sturges.

December 1, 2017
Being small doesn't mean you can't have big goals!A pebble who feels like a boulder sets out to prove that little ones can accomplish great things in this quirky, suspenseful, pun-filled tale. Young Rocky has rock-star relatives, such as Aunt Etna and Uncle Gibraltar, and even though he's told that he is too small, he feels inspired to "become part of one of the amazing formations on Earth!" Rocky landscapes and stony surfaces are depicted with just the right amount of detail as Rocky crosses the country and visits family members from Wyoming to Texas. He arrives in South Dakota, having lost some mass along the way, only to realize that the spectacular Mount Rushmore is in trouble--there is a crack in Lincoln's nose and visitors are not allowed in the park until the problem is solved. Is there anything a young sedimentary rock can do? Young readers will root for this less-than-pint-sized hero while he makes the most of his own personal talents. Though they may miss some of the rock-related allusions, they will learn a bit about rock types and formations (factual information is included in the final notes).Replete with wry, comic references and infused with a sense of adventure, this is a lighthearted tale that readers will certainly not "take for granite." (Picture book. 4-8)

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February 1, 2018

K-Gr 3-Rocky, a pebble, determines to do something important by becoming part of the rock formation of one of his illustrious rock family members. He visits his cousin, The Wave, in Arizona but loses a piece of himself when he's blown by the wind. Undaunted, he travels via an eagle's talon to Devil's Tower in Wyoming where a storm washes him away. Rocky proceeds to Dinosaur Valley in Texas and stands guard on sauropod tracks until an armadillo brushes him aside. When he arrives at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, he discovers the park is closed because Lincoln's nose is cracked. Since he's the perfect size to fill that crack, though, Rocky leaps into place and saves the day. In addition to descriptions of rock formations within the text, back matter includes more detailed information on the formations Rocky visits, as well as others, and a discussion of different kinds of rocks. An author's note reveals how actual cracks at Rushmore are repaired. Word play is peppered throughout the text, such as "stone's throw away" and "didn't share the same sediment," providing some humor. The illustrations, executed with watercolor, acrylics, and digital tools, depict amusing scenes of Rocky's perilous journey and some impressive spreads of the majestic rock formations. VERDICT This title may be a jumping-off point for a group discussion of perseverance in the face of obstacles as well as an introduction to famous rock formations. However, it feels a bit forced and the events in Rocky's journey are too contrived to be wholly satisfying.-Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
Grades K-2 Rocky may be little, but he has big dreams. This ambitious pebble comes from a family of literal rock starsvolcanic Aunt Etna, glacial Uncle Gibraltar, towering Great-Grandma Half Domeand he wants to be as big and important as them one day. So he decides to visit his famous cousins, starting with the Wave, an undulating and colorful canyon in Arizona. Rocky travels there by truck, but he barely has a chance to settle in before a mighty wind gust whooshes him away. The little rock continues to ping around the country, courtesy of an armadillo, an eagle, rain, and some unwitting humans, before arriving at Mount Rushmore (another cousin), where there's a monumental need for a pint-size hero. Miyares' vivid illustrations, painted in watercolor and acrylics, give this story momentumpaneled sequences depict stages of Rocky's journeyand reflect the grandeur of many of America's geologic marvels. An afterword on rock types and formations creates a natural segue for discussions on geology or geography, while the encouraging message of dreaming big grounds the playful story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)