Petra
by Marianna Coppo

The humorous adventures of an irresistible little rock who finds herself in constantly changing circumstances, Petra is a picture book that celebrates the power of perspective and believing in yourself. Petra is a little rock who believes she is a mighty mountain . . . until a dog fetches her for its owner, and she is tossed into a bird's nest. A mountain? No, Petra is now an egg! An egg of the world in a world of possibility. Until she's flung into a pond, and becomes an amazing island . . . and, eventually, a little girl's pet rock. What will she be tomorrow? Who knows? But she's a rock, and this is how she rolls!

“Coppo accomplishes a lot with a little. Her illustrations—a mixture of tempera, pastels, and digital collage—are simple but emote mountains. Petra's facial expressions mirror the text elegantly, often with the subtlest shift of pupil orientation or a minor change in the shape of the mouth. The result is a book that will work in both large storytimes and intimate lap reads. Lending itself to a range of readings, from perspective to an exploration of identity, this Italian import is a pleasingly intelligent book.”
Kirkus Reviews Starred Review*

“Italian author-illustrator Coppo keeps her spreads simple, smooth, and stylish, painting pared-down forms on clean white backdrops. (…) Change may be the only constant in Petra’s peripatetic existence, but her bubbly optimism is as solid as a Gibraltar.”
Publishers Weekly Starred Review*

"You’ve never seen a cuter rock (…) Petra's unmitigated confidence in an unpredictable world make(s) it a keeper.""
Booklist Starred Review*

“Marianna Coppo‘s subtle and understated illustrations are full of character and texture and you can’t help but take this inanimate object to your heart from the first glance at the cover. A simple yet powerful story clearly illustrating the power of perspective and the strength of our imaginations.”
Picture Books Blogger

“Marianna Coppo racconta l’esistenza come un’avventura, dove il cambiamento – anche inatteso – crea un movimento positivo di sorprese e incanto.”
La Stampa

“Un albo che riempie di meraviglia gli occhi dei bambini con una tenera protagonista di cui innamorarsi al primo sguardo.”
Libri per bambini e ragazzi

"Petra s’adapte à toutes les situations avec le sourire sans en faire des tonnes. Et ça, que ce soit en littérature pour enfants ou pour adultes, c’est assez rare pour que ça interpelle. Une leçon de résilience tout en poésie."
La vie est un roman

Awards:

★ Shortlisted for the English 4-11 Best Picture Books of 2017
★ Kirkus - Selected among the Best Picture Books of 2018
★ One of Brooklyn Public Library’s Favourite Books of 2018
★ Top 5 Finalist for Goodreads Choice Awards 2018
★ Amazon Editor’s Pick Best Books Baby-Age 2
★ One of Book Riot’s 38 Children’s Book Gift Ideas for Clueless Grown-Ups
★ Nominated for Kate Greenaway Medal 2019
★ Nominee for 2020 Beehive Award for Children's Picture Books

Rights sold:

Italy: Edizioni Lapis, 2016
China: Beijing Green Bean Books, 2016
UK/Commonwealth: Thames & Hudson, 2017
Malaysia/Taiwan: Cotton Tree Books, 2017
Korea: KIZM, 2017
USA/Canada: Tundra Penguin Random House, 2018
France: Seuil Jeunesse, 2018
Canada (French): Editions Scholastic, 2019
Spain: Editorial Juventud, October 2019
Spain/Catalan: Editorial Juventud, 2019
Poland: Wytwornia, 2019
The Netherlands: BBNC Uitgevers, 2019
Turkey: Nesin Yayınevi, 2019
Germany: Bohem Press, 2022
Hebrew: Seshat Publishing House, 2022
Arabic: Seshat Publishing House, 2022
Brazil: Carochinha, 2024

For foreign rights inquiries, please contact us.