  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 01/01/2018 *Starred Review* Size is clearly a matter of perspective when it comes to Petra, a smiling gray boulder, or magnificent mountain, or pebble, depending on whom you ask. Surrounded by leafy plants and magenta-budded sprigs, she sits tall and proud, reflecting on a life unchanged by weather or time. On one page, dinosaurs roam near her base; in another, a tiny-looking knight trots by on his horse. But things take a turn when a stick soars over Petra, and a giant schnauzer’s head enters the frame. As the dog stares down at the rock, Petra suddenly doesn’t seem big at all. And when he plucks her from the ground with his inky muzzle, she looks downright small. Thus begin her adventures, from slingshot to bird’s nest to pond, all punctuated by Petra’s upbeat commentary, which will surely garner some laughs. In the nest, she declares, “I am an egg of the world, in a world of possibility,” while her tumble into a pond transforms her into an amazing island. This Italian import is truly a charmer. Coppo uses tempera, pastels, and digital collage to create memorable illustrations—you’ve never seen a cuter rock—in natural colors and set against white backdrops. The idea of relative size is seamlessly incorporated into the story, but it’s Petra’s unmitigated confidence in an unpredictable world that makes it a keeper. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. School Library Journal - 02/01/2018 PreS-Gr 1—A rock imagines all the things she could be in this whimsical and uplifting story. Petra thinks of herself as a mountain, immovable and fearless—until a dog comes along and picks her up. Only then do readers learn that she is a rock. She is tossed into a nest and becomes an egg, and imagines grand possibilities there: she could be a dragon, a penguin, or even an amazing platypus. By the book's end, Petra, having become a multitude of different things, declares her plight to be "not bad at all" and wonders what she will become next. This story is a quiet lesson in perspective and finding the silver lining in situations beyond one's control. Petra is never short on optimism and only shows a bit of worry. The soft color palette creates a sense of calm, and Coppo has managed to create a rock with personality whose simple yet evocative expressions show both contentment and curiosity. Petra's motto, that there's no need to worry because she's a rock, and "this is how I roll," will resonate with many. VERDICT A worthwhile addition to all libraries and storytime collections.—Mary Kuehner, Arapahoe Library District, CO - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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