Hello Rock

by Jolly Roger Bradfield

A TIME Magazine Top 100 Children's Book of All Time at #51
Although Roger Bradfield wrote this charming little book almost fifty years ago, it reads as though it was penned (and illustrated) just yesterday. It celebrates the spark of magic we call imagination that lives within each child. The child in this book feels perfectly at ease talking and dreaming with his favorite rock. Have you ever chatted with an inanimate object? If not, you've missed out on some interesting conversation. Children will learn that a friend accepts you just the way you are. Also available in a bilingual English/Spanish edition titled Hello, Rock / Hola Piedrita.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

24 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

"Jolly" Roger Bradfield is perhaps best known for his work as a children's book author and illustrator, though he also worked as a cartoonist on the daily comic strip Dooley's World.

He retired from writing in 1988 to focus on painting.

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was four I memorized this book and would "read" it to my mom. A lifetime favorite and one that always makes me smile when I revisit it.

5 stars and a happy heart! 💖

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book from my childhood. It ended up in my collection and now is guarded very carefully as it is pretty frail. I thought it was OK as a kid, but when I read it again as a mom, the sentiment was very sweet, thoughtful AND environmentally sound! I don't even know if it's still in print, but I'd recommend snatching it up if anyone sees it.

[Ralph Calhoun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid.

[Linda Plasse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was originally published in 1965, and it shows in multiple ways. The art style and color choices are quite interesting and lead to illustrations that can captivate the audience. It is a cute book that shows a child exercising his imagination by thinking of all the wonderful things he could do with a rock or even what it would be like if the rock was super small or super large. I did enjoy the story as a whole, but I deducted some stars because of one page. The page reads, “If you were bigger, I could get behind you and hide from Indians.” Obviously this is neither a politically correct term, but it also depicts Native Americans in a poor light. Obviously this book is 56 years old, so some of the words and contents are outdated. Even so, this is not a book I would rush to show my students unless it were helpful in a conversation about the Native American people and culture and how we have progressed past viewing them negatively. The illustration accompanying the page shows a red man with a feather in his hair holding a stone tomahawk. It is a good example of how far literature has come diversity wise since 1965.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm... I guess this is a good enough story. Kids are kinda meh about the illustrations and I also find them a little strange.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

#51 on Time Magazine 100 Best Children's books

Again, a book I've never heard of. I did like it for the boy's imagination, based on understanding our earth.

[JKR · Rating 4 out of 5]

My younger self would probably have rated this picture book three stars at best despite being something of a rockhound, but its message of sharing and conservation resonated strongly with the older me despite being imparted in the lightest of ways.

[Brittany Mangum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is another way to encourage children to use their imagination, no matter how silly it might be to others. (FICTION)

[Katra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I read to my sister at least six times every day until it fell apart. Then we read scraps, giving the whole book without alteration from memory. After forty years a couple of family members could still recite it. I was thrilled when this family treasure was reprinted and I could read it to my sister (and all her children) once again with the illustrations. After all this time, it's still a really good, engaging, and fun read. Just ask Christine.

[Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm. I was really enjoying this reprinted title--a cute little book, originally published in 1965--until I arrived at the "hid from Indians" page near the end. Yikes. A VERY dated caricature, which is of course RED, is featured on that page spread. Yes, it's a charming volume, but caveat emptor...if I'd known about this, I wouldn't have ordered it for the collections.

[Marni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple story that captures the curiosity and wonder of children.

[Nancy]

I was researching children's books, and came across this cute book I read as a child. Good memories! Also on Time magazine's list of the 100 Best Children's Books of All Time. http://time.com/100-best-childrens-bo...

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

Deselected for racism--has a caricature of an Indian that the boy hides from. Red, generic war paint, tomahawk, etc. Time to deselect this book!