A rock that moves sounds like a fairy tale to Erin, an excuse to keep her at home and she’s desperate to find out if the story is real or not. As big as a mountain and never in the same place, it’s a constant threat to the town’s fishing fleet and the bane of their existence. Erin would love to go out to sea on her mum’s boat but isn’t allowed to because of the dangerous and legendary Black Rock. Erin feels passionately about saving Black Rock and all of the critters that call it home, and she’s not afraid to take direct action.Erin Pike lives with her mother and their dog Archie near a big fishing town, which makes sense since her mum is a fisherwoman. Second is the message of environmental conservation and bravely standing up for what you believe in.

First, how cool is it that Erin's mother is a fisherwoman with her own boat? Such a small and awesome way to subvert gender stereotyping. 'This book has several great messages within the covers. This book is truly an amazing read! The illustration is magnificent! This is an exceptionally illustrated modern folk-tale You will love Erin and her large heart, courage, sense of adventure, and ability to stand up for what she believes in! The layers of ocean life and the benign Black Rock are beautifully rendered in this wonderfully tactile hardback, while the gently delivered environmental message adds a welcome real-life depth to the modern mythic tale.Īn original picture book story that is superbly illustrated from cover to cover, Joe Todd-Stanton's 'The Secret of Black Rock' is a compelling and entertaining read for children ages 5 to 8, making it an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to family, elementary school, and community library collections. A young artist to watch.Ī fairytale world is created that should enchant children as much as the old-fashioned illustrations that fit the story perfectly. The gentle environmental message takes on a kind of magic in Todd-Stanton’s pictures of Erin suspended in the ocean among incandescent jellyfish or facing down a monstrous, weaponised fishing fleet in the moonlight. The illustrations are dazzling and vibrantly hued, the rich palette just right for the resplendent undersea scenes that adroitly float young readers’ sense of magic just under the surface of the mundane. However, he deftly infuses his narrative with quiet depth, including a positive ecological slant in which nature wins over machines, and portrays Erin’s single mother succeeding in a typically male-dominated profession. Todd-Stanton’s tale is, at first glance, a deceptively simple tale of acceptance and bravery.

The secret of black rock book