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Friday, March 12, 2021

Lights On Wonder Rock, written and illustrated by David Litchfield. Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Raincoast. 2019. $23.99 ages 4 and up

 


"Heather was having so much fun
with her new friend. But then she 
noticed something on one of the 
computer screens. It was her family, 
searching for her in the woods.
"

There are people who dream of encountering an alien. Heather knows exactly what such an otherworldly moment felt like. As a young girl she was adventurous and unafraid. One night she snuck away from home to sit in the darkness on Wonder Rock. She loved the peace of the darkness; she also had a dream. 

"Heather sat in the darkness and shone her 
flashlight up into the night sky,
where the stars sparkled with magic. 

She was hoping that someone
out there would see her light."

Her consuming interest in outer space led Heather to know about the aliens that had visited. She hoped her signals would cause that very thing to happen for her.  Lo and behold! It happened one night at Wonder Rock. Her visit with her new alien friend so consumed the two that she did not realize her parents were frantically searching for her. The new friends said goodbye, with promises to meet again. Through many years and countless attempts to make contact, it was not to be. 

Time continued moving her ahead. Heather grew older. Only occasionally did she return to Wonder Rock. The older she got, the more she lost hope for a return visit. Then, it did happen again. The friends were happily reunited, and through an illustrated conversation decided that Heather would make a visit to her old friend's home. As she watched Earth move further and further away, she realized she had made a mistake. There was only one way to fix it ... to explain ... to show where real magic truly existed. The ship returned to Earth and family. 

David Litchfield's artwork is glorious ... making this story a joy to share. Changing perspectives, a perfect palette for every scene, the use of light, the delightful, art-filled visits, the expressive faces of  Heather and her alien friend, and the final gentle spread leave the reader feeling content and full of wonder.                                                                                        


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