Old Rock (Is Not Boring)
by Deb Pilutti (Author) Deb Pilutti (Illustrator)
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Kirkus Reviews
Awitty, engaging exploration of deep time.
Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think that their friend Old Rock must lead a terribly boring existence just sitting in the same spot year after year. After all, Hummingbird flies all over the world to sample nectar, Spotted Beetle can climb to the top of Tall Pine to take in the vistas, and even Tall Pine dances in the breeze. But just sitting there? As they describe their own, ostensibly more exciting lives, however, Old Rock relates experiences that include being shot out of a volcano, seeing dinosaurs pass by, traveling by glacier, and having a close encounter with a mastodon. These tales occupy multiple page turns, helping to communicate both Old Rock’s great age and the eventfulness of its existence. The trio ends up being fascinated by these accounts of Old Rock’s exploits, and they all agree that ending up together in the present day is “Not boring at all.” Throughout, Pilutti’s expressive cartoon art is punctuated by speech balloons, some with words and some with rebuslike images, that add humor to the already witty main text, and the facial features she supplies her protagonist with are delightfully communicative. A backmatter timeline pinpoints Old Rock’s episodic journey to the present day with precision.
This picture book rocks! (Picture book. 4-8)School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2--Rocks aren't generally known for being the life of the party. In fact, they just kind of sit around and do nothing. Or do they? Old Rock lives in a clearing in a beautiful pine forest where he enjoys the company of his friends: Hummingbird, Tall Pine, and Spotted Beetle. They feel sorry for Old Rock because he doesn't get to go anywhere or see anything. Old Rock tells them that he has had experiences. For example, he erupted out of a volcano, somersaulted down a mountain, and even hung out with the dinosaurs. When glaciers formed in the Ice Age, Old Rock rode one far and wide. His friends begin to wish they had done those things. This is a wonderful story about mistaken assumptions, and taking the time to listen to a variety of perspectives and experiences. The author has cleverly traced the development of Earth through Old Rock's remarkable reminiscences. Part scientific history, part storytelling, Old Rock is content with his lot in life, and Old Rock is not boring! That's a good message for all readers. The art is created with casein paint with a bit of digital manipulation. VERDICT This is a brilliant book for school and public libraries and one that children will be drawn to. Bridging story and the history of the natural world is sure to be a hit.--Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"After Hummingbird, Spotted Beetle, and Tall Pine regale Old Rock with tales of their adventures, Old Rock relays a rich history in which he was shot from a volcano, hid dinosaurs from predators, survived an ice age, traveled frozen in a glacier, and rolled onto plains populated with mastodons. This readaloud will put any of Grandpa's long-winded stories into perspective, as Old Rock really does have some valuable tales to offer." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
JUV029000 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | General
JUV016090 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | Prehistory
