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    The Rock from the Sky, by Jon Klassen | Book Review

    Dr. Jen HarrisonBy Dr. Jen Harrison2 Mins Read Ages 0-3 Ages 4-8 Best Kids Stories Picture Books
    The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen | Book Review
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    Book Review of The Rock from the Sky
    The Children’s Book Review

    The Rock From the Sky Book Cover

    The Rock from the Sky

    Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen

    Ages 3-5 | 96 Pages

    Publisher: Candlewick Press (2021) | ISBN: 9781536215625

    What to Expect: Space, relationships, imagination, anticipation.

    In keeping with Jon Klassen’s other work, The Rock from the Sky is darkly, subtly funny, and deeply thought-provoking.

    The turtle, the armadillo, and the snake are looking for the perfect spot to sit. This is not as easy as it sounds. The turtle thinks he has the perfect spot—but the others don’t like it very much. The others think they have found the perfect spot too, but it is so far away from the turtle’s spot that he has some trouble hearing them say so. After a massive asteroid falls on the turtle’s spot, it does not seem so perfect after all, but the turtle is determined to make it work, no matter what the others say or do. He might just succeed … if the universe doesn’t have any more surprises in store for him. 

    The Rock From the Sky Illustration Page of a rock just fallen from the sky. Animals looking on.

    The three main characters are a study of opposites, illustrating the miscommunications and accidents that can occur when contrasting personalities and desires clash. The story unfolds through deadpan, minimalist conversation, with the characters’ expressions revealing as much as their words. Bleak illustrations in a muddy color palette evoke the slow passage of time in an atmosphere of frustration and doubt. Klassen’s iconic sense of humor prevents the story from being depressing, however, lifting the situation from grimness to absurdity.

    The Rock from the Sky is a grown-up and delightful picture book from a true maestro of the genre. 

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    About the Author

    Jon Klassen is a Canadian writer and illustrator of children’s books and an animator. He won both the American Caldecott Medal and the British Kate Greenaway Medal for children’s book illustration, recognizing the 2012 picture book This Is Not My Hat, which he also wrote.

    Jon Klassen: Author Headshot. Black and white. Wearing a hat.

    Dr. Jen Harrison reviewed The Rock from the Sky. Discover more books like The Rock from the Sky by reading our reviews and articles tagged with imagination, space, and relationships.

    What to Read Next:

    1. Rocket-Bye, by Carole P. Roman | Dedicated Review
    2. We Found a Hat, by Jon Klassen | Book Review
    3. My Very First Mother Goose, Illustrated by Rosemary Wells | Book Review
    4. Everything You Need for a Treehouse, by Carter Higgins | Book Review

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Books About Rocks Candlewick Press Imagination Jon Klassen Picture Book Relationships Space
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    Dr. Jen Harrison
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    Dr. Jen Harrison provides writing and research services as the CEO of Read.Write.Perfect. She completed her Ph.D. in Children’s and Victorian Literature at Aberystwyth University in Wales, in the UK. After a brief spell in administration, Jen then trained as a secondary school English teacher and worked for several years teaching Secondary School English, working independently as a private tutor of English, and working in nursery and primary schools. She has been an editor for the peer-reviewed journal of children’s literature, Jeunesse, and has published academic work on children’s non-fiction, YA speculative fiction, and the posthuman.

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