Lights on Wonder Rock

Heather has glasses, a gap-toothed smile, and a burning desire to explore space: “She wanted more than anything to leave Earth behind and go to live among the stars.” After sitting patiently with a flashlight on a huge boulder, she succeeds in attracting a UFO and makes the acquaintance of a tall, thoughtful alien. Her dream is about to come true—until she realizes that her parents will miss her, and she returns. The text is minimal; accomplished artwork by Litchfield (The Bear and the Piano) carries most of the story. Grids of small panels alternate with big, theatrically lit spreads as Heather’s flashlight slices through the night and the spaceship casts a pink glow over the forest. Decades pass, and Heather—still waiting on Wonder Rock, remarkably—gets another chance. This time, though, it’s Heather’s young family that draws her back. The evidence for her life as a matriarch is uneven: after a long panel sequence depicts Heather playing with a child, four more kids of various ethnicities appear out of nowhere, all at once. Litchfield’s friendly alien, who offers paper and crayons and cups of tea, provides the tale’s most beguiling moments. Ages 4–7. [em](Sept.) [/em]