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Summary
Summary
The humorous adventures of an irresistible little rock who finds herself in constantly changing circumstances, Petra is a picture book that celebrates the power of perspective and believing in yourself.
Petra is a little rock who believes she is a mighty mountain . . . until a dog fetches her for its owner, and she is tossed into a bird's nest. A mountain? No, Petra is now an egg! An egg of the world in a world of possibility. Until she's flung into a pond, and becomes an amazing island . . . and, eventually, a little girl's pet rock. What will she be tomorrow? Who knows? But she's a rock, and this is how she rolls!
Author Notes
MARIANNA COPPO is an author/illustrator from Italy. She studied editorial illustration at MiMaster in Milan, and now focuses on freelance illustration in Rome. She is one of the curators of Tentacoli, an independent label which specializes in fanzines and handmade products. Petra is her first picture book.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
The heroes of adventure stories often have some control over their own fates; Petra only thinks she does. She's a smooth, egg-shaped rock who looks like a beluga coming up for air. She makes airy pronouncements about her nature as a rock: "Nothing can move me. Not the wind. Not time." Then a dog appears chasing a stick, and the view pulls back to reveal that Petra is small enough for the dog to pick up in its mouth-which it does. The dog owner's slingshot sends Petra into a bird's nest, and Petra cheerfully retools her image of herself: "I am an egg of the world, in a world of possibility." Italian author-illustrator Coppo keeps her spreads simple, smooth, and stylish, painting pared-down forms on clean white backdrops. Petra's thoughts are represented with quiet wit (she imagines hatching into a penguin, or a platypus), and her unplanned flights are traced with dashed lines. Change may be the only constant in Petra's peripatetic existence, but her bubbly optimism is as solid as Gibraltar. "I'm a rock," she concludes, "and this is how I roll." Ages 3-7. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
A rock is sure she's a mountain ("Nothing can move me... Everyone comes to me") until she finds herself tossed into a bird's nest, thrown into a pond, and finally tucked into a girl's pocket. This amenable tale of adaptiveness ("Whatever I become, I'm bound to be amazing!") gets its message across with art that gives its inanimate protagonist the unexpected: personality. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
*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.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2018 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
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. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A well-crafted conversation starter that touches on many themes, including perspective, relevance, and potential. Meet Petra, a smooth gray oval of possibility. When first encountered, Petra appears to be an ancient mountain, one that loomed high above dinosaurs and inspired knightly quests. When the perspective changes via the introduction of a canine, readers see that Petra is a large pebble. The encounter with the dog (and its white owner) causes Petra to believe in turn that she is an egg in a nest and then (once exiled by a parent bird) an island in a pond. With each encounter, Petra's optimistic outlook never dampens: "Whatever I become, I'm bound to be amazing!" She is eventually claimed by a young white child and painted to look like an elephant. At book's end, Petra wonders, "What will I be tomorrow? Who knows? Well, no need to worry. I'm a rock, and this is how I roll." Coppo accomplishes a lot with a little. Her illustrationsa mixture of tempera, pastels, and digital collageare simple but emote mountains. Petra's facial expressions mirror the text elegantly, often with the subtlest shift of pupil orientation or a minor change in the shape of the mouth. The result is a book that will work in both large storytimes and intimate lap reads. Lending itself to a range of readings, from perspective to an exploration of identity, this Italian import is a pleasingly intelligent book. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
