When You Find the Right Rock

Starred review from June 3, 2024
Lines of free verse alternate between playful and philosophical as Ray (How to Have a Birthday) praises the charms of rocks. “You can tell, right off, that big ones are to climb on,” the text begins. “That’s their way of inviting you to know them—and to see where you are.” Mixed-media spreads in shades of gray are splashed with splotches of saturated color; Sala (If You Run Out of Words) layers pigment that mimics the striations of rocks and suggests weathering and wear. Small ones can be chosen and collected (“There’s something about a rock that’s good to have in a pocket”), and stacked and played with, while “middle-size rocks are best to sit on.” Human figures of various skin tones, some fanciful, are captured with expressive lines of color as they climb on rocks, bend to inspect them, and even find them underwater (“It’s probably a good idea to say hi to each rock you meet. Because you don’t want to miss it”). The quiet presence of rocks can reflect the finder’s individual multitudes, suggests a passage about huge, mostly hidden mountain rocks—“Some of their big goes unseen.... But it’s still there. Like yours.” Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Rick Margolis, Rising Bear Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions.

September 1, 2024
This stimulating ode to rocks validates the habits of collectors while offering a gateway to those who have yet to discover rocks' allure. The childlike prose is reminiscent of Ruth Krauss's distinctive style: "Small rocks are to choose which to put in your pocket. Because there's something about a rock that's good to have in a pocket." Mixed-media and collage illustrations elegantly reflect the mood of the text, and a variety of compositions supports described concepts as well as expands more contemplative pages to evoke a sense of wonder. Single pages and double-page spreads of rocky terrains take readers atop mountains, through canyons, along the shore, and down into the sea. The book enthusiastically proclaims that rocks are ideal for counting, stacking, climbing, and standing on and acknowledges that our planet itself is, essentially, a large rock; it concludes by encouraging readers to seek out a special rock to keep and assign some importance to. "Then...if sometimes you wish someone were with you (but no one is), your rock is." Opening with the image of a child and adult out on an errand and closing with that child having secured a rock of their own, this poignant take on rocks could provide enough inspiration to transform an ordinary walk into an expedition full of observation. Julie Roach

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from September 1, 2024

K-Gr 4-With everything in common with Ruth Krauss and Maurice Sendak's A Hole Is to Dig, Ray and Sala offer children a rare picture book look at rocks and what they are good for. Some are to climb on, as every parent has witnessed, and some are just right for putting in a pocket while others can be stacked. Some can be lined up in neat rows, mapping out the rooms of a temporary house. Large rocks demonstrate what heavy feels like, but so does a big bag of small rocks. This is blissful stuff, mostly because Ray has a lot to say about her topic, and all of it will matter to young readers. Sala's colorful illustrations take the same approach: there isn't one kind of right rock, but hundreds of them, and she finds many hues for those, as well as for the people playing in her pages. White rock, blackened stone, blue skin, purple skin tone-the creators are in ideal concord for waking up readers to the variety of rocks, as well as the variety of humans; children can hold both, no matter the size of their hands. VERDICT A stunning book and essential purchase, stuffed with ideas, poetic musings, and more than one reason to connect with rocks wherever they are found.-Kimberly Olson Fakih

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2024
Stones and pebbles have plenty to teach us. Ray hands out life advice using the framework of observing and caring for rocks. After all, "it's hard to ignore a rock." This observation is true whether they're the big ones that invite you to climb upon them or the small ones you stuff in your pockets. You can do lots of things with rocks, from stacking them to lining them up. Above all, readers should remember that they share similarities with rocks. People may not realize how deep the rocks that make up mountains are. "Some of their big goes unseen," Ray notes. "But it's still there. Like yours." Sometimes you might see something interesting in the midst of a pile of rocks, just as you might notice something intriguing about yourself. "Any rock can be important, even if only you know the reasons." This deft and simple text has a refreshingly original premise, exploring not the scientific aspects of rocks but rather the emotional support they can offer. Meanwhile, marvelous, watercolorlike mixed-media art draws effective comparisons between the people and the rocks they both ignore and adore. The large cast of children is racially diverse. Rock appreciation is bound to start early thanks to this surprisingly emotional guide.(Picture book. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2024
This stimulating ode to rocks validates the habits of collectors while offering a gateway to those who have yet to discover rocks' allure. The childlike prose is reminiscent of Ruth Krauss's distinctive style: "Small rocks are to choose which to put in your pocket. Because there's something about a rock that's good to have in a pocket." Mixed-media and collage illustrations elegantly reflect the mood of the text, and a variety of compositions supports described concepts as well as expands more contemplative pages to evoke a sense of wonder. Single pages and double-page spreads of rocky terrains take readers atop mountains, through canyons, along the shore, and down into the sea. The book enthusiastically proclaims that rocks are ideal for counting, stacking, climbing, and standing on and acknowledges that our planet itself is, essentially, a large rock; it concludes by encouraging readers to seek out a special rock to keep and assign some importance to. "Then...if sometimes you wish someone were with you (but no one is), your rock is." Opening with the image of a child and adult out on an errand and closing with that child having secured a rock of their own, this poignant take on rocks could provide enough inspiration to transform an ordinary walk into an expedition full of observation.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)