Charlotte and the rock by Stephen W. Martin, illustrated by Samantha Cotterill

Charlotte, a perkily plump little girl with white-blonde hair, would absolutely love to have a pet. Her parents fulfill her wishes and get her...a pet rock. A rather LARGE pet rock. This starts a series of delightfully humorous situations as Charlotte attempts to train and play with her new pet. Just when she is getting used to her unusual pet, a startling development changes everything.

The simple illustrations are picked out with bright accents in scarlet and soft greens. Charlotte is a cheerful little girl, who makes the best of things and struggles on despite her difficulties with her large boulder of a pet. There are jokes that both adults and children will appreciate, like Charlotte lying on a coach and telling her rock her troubles, or being superheroes together, both with matching green masks.

Verdict: This is a delightful addition to the "odd pets" genre. Not a necessary purchase perhaps, but certainly worth adding and will be a fun addition in storytimes as well.

ISBN: 9781101993897; Published 2017 by Penguin; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library