Max and Bob are proud of their pets. Max has a dog and Bob has a... rock. "Dog will do tricks," says Max. "Rock will do tricks," says Bob. "Sit," says Max. His dog does not sit. "Rock sits," says Bob. Sure enough, Rock does seem to be sitting. The two boys go on like this, with Max prevailing upon his disobedient and distractible white pooch to stay, fetch and jump while Bob's rock "stays," "fetches" (Bob places a ball on the rock) and "jumps" (Bob tosses Rock in the air).
The rhythmic, repetitious language in Ann and John Hassett's sweetly funny picture book will captivate early readers, who will easily catch on to the pattern:
"Roll over," said Max.
Dog did not roll over.
"Rock rolls over," said Bob.
Apart from their round faces (brown for Max, white for Bob) and sparse hair (four tiny blue-black curls for the former; four yellow stripes for the latter), the boys are nearly identical in illustrator John Hassett's childlike portrayal. Their simple features (dots and circles) express the serious nature of their play without succumbing to saccharine cuteness. A bit of poop humor at the conclusion will come as a giggle-inducing surprise for the scatalogically inclined. (Look for the stinky sneaker on the last page!)
The Hassett husband-wife team has previously collaborated on Come Back, Ben, Too Many Frogs and another story about young Bob called Goodnight Bob. Bob's Rock strikes just the right note for new readers. --Emilie Coulter, freelance writer and editor