Petra

by Marianna Coppo

Overview

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!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735267985
Publisher:	Tundra
Publication date:	06/02/2020
Pages:	38
Sales rank:	720,679
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.79(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

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.

Editorial Reviews

★ 11/20/2017
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.)

Publishers Weekly

One of Brooklyn Public Library’s Favourite Books of 2018
A Goodreads Choice Awards Picture Book Finalist
One of Book Riot’s 38 Children’s Book Gift Ideas for Clueless Grown-Ups

PRAISE FOR Petra:

"Meet Petra, a smooth grey oval of possibility… a pleasantly intelligent book." —Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

"[S]imple, smooth, and stylish… Change may be the only constant in Petra’s peripatetic existence, but her bubbly optimism is as solid as a Gibraltar." —Starred Review, Publisher's Weekly

"You've never seen a cuter rock... Petra's unmitigated confidence in an unpredictable world make(s) it a keeper." —Starred Review, Booklist

From the Publisher

02/01/2018
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

School Library Journal

★ 2017-11-22
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 illustrations—a mixture of tempera, pastels, and digital collage—are 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)

Kirkus Reviews