When You Find the Right Rock

Lines of free verse alternate between playful and philosophical as Ray (How to Have a Birthday) praises the charms of rocks. “You can tell, right off, that big ones are to climb on,” the text begins. “That’s their way of inviting you to know them—and to see where you are.” Mixed-media spreads in shades of gray are splashed with splotches of saturated color; Sala (If You Run Out of Words) layers pigment that mimics the striations of rocks and suggests weathering and wear. Small ones can be chosen and collected (“There’s something about a rock that’s good to have in a pocket”), and stacked and played with, while “middle-size rocks are best to sit on.” Human figures of various skin tones, some fanciful, are captured with expressive lines of color as they climb on rocks, bend to inspect them, and even find them underwater (“It’s probably a good idea to say hi to each rock you meet. Because you don’t want to miss it”). The quiet presence of rocks can reflect the finder’s individual multitudes, suggests a passage about huge, mostly hidden mountain rocks—“Some of their big goes unseen.... But it’s still there. Like yours.” Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Rick Margolis, Rising Bear Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions. (Sept.)