It’s a story that succeeds both as a daring adventure and as a reminder that our own living (if not quite so anthropomorphic) habitat needs to be treated with care. There’s a powerful sense of drama in his cartooning and storytelling, as well as a friendliness at play in the artwork that tempers this yarn’s scariest moments. Todd-Stanton creates a striking visual contrast between the rich blue-green depths of the water and the glowing reds and oranges used for the brick, wood, and metal of the human world.

But when Erin shares what she has learned, the residents of her coastal town see the creature as a threat. could smash a boat to pieces.” After sneaking onto her mother’s boat, Erin is washed overboard and discovers that Black Rock is an enormous, friendly, rocklike creature that’s also home to a bounty of sea life. THE SECRET OF BLACK ROCK by Joe Todd-Stanton illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton RELEASE DATE: JAfter a courageous young girl befriends a legendary creature, she must stop the frightened villagers from attacking it. Erin Pike, a fisherwoman’s daughter, is eager to unlock the local legend of Black Rock, which some say “never stays in the same place and. A young artist to watch.' -The Guardian 'A fairytale world is created that should enchant children as much as the old-fashioned illustrations that fit the story perfectly.' -Youth Services Book Review '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.' -Irish Times 'An 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.Todd-Stanton follows Arthur and the Golden Rope with another engrossing story of an intrepid child.

Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW '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