Review by Booklist Review
In an effort to show that it's all just a matter of perspective, Old Rock counters, with rousing tales, Tall Pine's, Spotted Beetle's, and Hummingbird's comments that it must be boring to be stuck in the same old spot. It tells of being blasted out of a volcano, watching dinosaurs pass by, gliding along to new lands in a glacier, serving as a mastodon's butt scratcher, seeing a pinecone grow into a tree, and, now, having companions with their own exciting tales of distant sights and sites. Pilutti puts a smile and wide eyes on the rock and places it among an increasingly fascinated animal audience in a set of simply drawn, usually idyllic cartoon scenes. A closing 1.8-billion-year summary leaves Old Rock and the others sitting in a very nice spot at the edge of a clearing in the middle of a forest. They are not bored, she concludes, nor will younger readers and listeners be once they realize that every rock they see has a similar story to tell.--John Peters Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
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
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A witty, 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) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
