Charlotte and the Rock

Knowing that their daughter craves a pet, Charlotte's parents, with great fanfare, present her with a large rock. Charlotte, who has glasses and pigtails and looks a tiny bit dorky, is a good sport: "It wasn't quite what Charlotte had in mind, but she tried to remain positive." Cotterill's (No More Bows!) droll ink drawings show Charlotte naming her rock Dennis by tipping it out the window onto a grid of names written in chalk on the sidewalk. "We chose it together!" she tells a neighbor proudly. Charlotte discovers things she and Dennis can do together (read, dress up as superheroes) but mourns that Dennis can't love her back. When Dennis hatches (spoiler: he's an egg), he delivers unexpected joy. Readers who expected Charlotte to reconcile herself to Dennis may resist the egg ex machina, while those looking for excitement may be frustrated by the long setup. But Martin's (Robot Smash!) dry humor delivers giggles ("You said what ate your homework?" Charlotte's teacher snaps), and so does the concluding reversal of fortune. Ages 3-5. Author's agent: Laurie Abkemeier, DeFiore and Company. Illustrator's agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency. (Mar.)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2--Charlotte, like most children, yearns to own a pet; any kind will do. When her parents finally deliver, Charlotte is less than ecstatic to receive a pet rock. Her extraordinary pet is not the handheld type with googly eyes pasted on, but a huge boulder. Positives of the pet rock: Dennis is a great listener, doesn't require much maintenance, and is hypoallergenic. Negatives: he is extremely hard to walk, won't eat those pesky veggies that are dropped under the table, and doesn't really show affection. But Charlotte still manages to make the best of an odd situation, loving her rock and constantly wishing for it to love her back. Finally, one night, the rock instinctively knows that Charlotte needs a hug, so obligingly, it cracks open, releasing the baby dino (complete with spectacles) that has been incubating inside all along. In the end, Charlotte and her new dino pet are happier than ever. Vintage-style illustrations with spare coloring add to the appeal of this heartwarming story. Children will laugh at the surprise ending and may be inspired to try to hatch a pet rock of their own. VERDICT A recommended purchase for any primary collection; great for pet-themed read-alouds, beginning readers, and lap reading.--Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Amusing as well as subtly encouraging about the rewards for patience and working with what you've got." —Kirkus

"Martin's dry humor delivers giggles ("You said what ate your homework?" Charlotte's teacher snaps), and so does the concluding reversal of fortune." —Publishers Weekly

"The sharp, declarative text and warm, funny illustrations make Charlotte and Dennis...an irresistible pair." —Horn Book

"Kids will giggle over Charlotte's efforts to treat her rock like a normal pet, and it's refreshingto see a child making the best of a disappointing situation." —Booklist

"Children will laugh at the surprise ending and may be inspired to try to hatch a pet rock of their own....A recommended purchase for any primary collection." —School Library Journal