A Stone Sat Still (Environmental and Nature Picture Book)

by Brendan Wenzel (Author) Brendan Wenzel (Illustrator)

A Stone Sat Still (Environmental and Nature Picture Book)
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

The brilliant follow-up to the Caldecott Honor-winning and New York Times bestselling picture book They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel!

A Stone Sat Still tells the story of a seemingly ordinary rock--but to the animals that use it, it is a resting place, a kitchen, a safe haven...even an entire world.

This is a gorgeous exploration of perspective, perception, and the passage of time, with an underlying environmental message that is timely and poignant.

Filled with stunning illustrations in cut paper, pencil, collage, and paint- Soothing rhythms invite reading aloud and bedtime snuggles

Introduces concepts like color, size, function, and time in a way that is easily understandable and teachable for children

With a rhythmic, calming narrative about the stone and its place in the world--and the changing environment--A Stone Sat Still proves Brendan Wenzel's mastery of the picture book form.

This modern children's classic will enchant readers in preschool and kindergarten, as well as the adults that read with them.

A wonderful gift for teachers, librarians, and educators who are looking to teach difficult concepts like perspective and perception

Perfect for parents and caregivers wanting to educate their kids about the environment, nature, and animals

Great for fans of I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, as well as Wenzel's previous books They All Saw a Cat and Hello Hello

Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

As in They All Saw a Cat, Wenzel's poem focuses on how point of view affects experience. This time, his subject is a humble stone: "A stone sat still/ with the water, grass, and dirt, / and it was as it was/ where it was in the world." In each spread or vignette, a different wild creature encounters the round rock. A wide-eyed chipmunk perches on it as the sun casts it in shadow ("and the stone was dark"); at night, an owl peers at it lit by the moon ("and the stone was bright"). After a gull breaks a clam on its surface ("and the stone was loud"), a snake sunbathes there ("and the stone was quiet"). Animals witness it turning different seasonal hues and encounter it variably as smooth and rough, large and small, "a blink" and "an age." Alert readers will notice that the water beneath the stone rises as the pages turn--eventually, great waves overtake it in spreads that reveal a vast expanse of silvery water. But the stone isn't gone: under the waves, it "sits still in the world," a small snail upon it. "Have you ever seen such a place?" Wenzel asks. Look closely, his words say: even the most seemingly insignificant bits of Earth offer splendor. The wonderful mixed-media creatures and their encounters entertain, while bigger ideas suggest all kinds of conversations about perception and perspective, wildlife and habitat, local and global change, and eternity and evanescence. Ages 3-5. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Aug.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

K-Gr 4--Wenzel scores another hit with this engaging and though-provoking companion to They All Saw a Cat. "A stone sat still/with the water, grass, and dirt/and it was as it was/where it was in the world." Lyrical text, stunning mixed-media artwork, and cleverly shifting perspectives reveal how this object is at once static and ever-changing, predictable yet filled with possibility, seemingly eternal yet somehow vulnerable. The stone is "dark" when swathed in shadow, and "bright" when bathed in moonlight. It's "loud" when a seagull uses it to break apart a clam, and "quiet" when a snake sits curled atop; "rough" (compared to a slug) and "smooth" (compared to a porcupine); a "pebble" to a moose, and a "hill" to a tiny insect. As various animals discover, the stone is "a danger," "a haven, ' "a story," "a stage," and so much more. Detail-packed illustrations work closely with the text to eloquently convey this sedentary stone's role in its surrounding biome. Observant readers will notice that the water levels surrounding the stone are rising, which becomes first "an island," then "a wave," then "a memory" as it disappears beneath the surface, continuing to sit "still in the world" surrounded by seaweed and sea creatures. VERDICT Showcasing at-a-glimpse activities of an array of animals, this book offers small stories to pore over as well as bigger ideas to ponder, including the influence of viewpoint, the relationship between wildlife and habitat, the impact of environmental issues, and the vagaries of time.--Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Wenzel scores another hit with this engaging and thought-provoking [book] . . . Stunning."— School Library Journal
Brendan Wenzel
Brendan Wenzel is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator based in upstate New York. He has written and illustrated several award-winning books for children, including Inside Cat, A Stone Sat Still, Hello Hello, and They All Saw a Cat, which was a recipient of a Caldecott Honor. He is also a proud collaborator with many groups working to protect and conserve wild places and creatures. You can find more of his work at brendanwenzel.info.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9781452173184
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Chronicle Books
Publication date
August 27, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV009000 - Juvenile Fiction | Concepts | General
JUV002000 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | General
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Stories in rhyme
Perception
Stone
Nature (Aesthetics)

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!