The Secret of Black Rock

Todd-Stanton follows Arthur and the Golden Rope with another engrossing story of an intrepid child. Erin Pike, a fisherwoman’s daughter, is eager to unlock the local legend of Black Rock, which some say “never stays in the same place and... could smash a boat to pieces.” After sneaking onto her mother’s boat, Erin is washed overboard and discovers that Black Rock is an enormous, friendly, rocklike creature that’s also home to a bounty of sea life. But when Erin shares what she has learned, the residents of her coastal town see the creature as a threat. Todd-Stanton creates a striking visual contrast between the rich blue-green depths of the water and the glowing reds and oranges used for the brick, wood, and metal of the human world. There’s a powerful sense of drama in his cartooning and storytelling, as well as a friendliness at play in the artwork that tempers this yarn’s scariest moments. It’s a story that succeeds both as a daring adventure and as a reminder that our own living (if not quite so anthropomorphic) habitat needs to be treated with care. Ages 3–7. (June)