Saturday 30 May 2020

This Rock That Rock by Dom Conlon Reviewed by Chitra Soundar

As a child and as an adult I'm fascinated by the moon. I grew up in a culture whose traditions revolve around the moon and other planetary bodies. Stories of gods, spirits and epic battles revolve around the cosmic elements of our universe.

So for me, this book This Rock That Rock was a special one to read.
Written by Dom Conlon, Illustrated by Viviane Schwarz, Published by Troika Books

Especially after touching the moon rock at Johnson Space Centre in NASA, the word rock resonated with everything lunar. The illustrations by Viviane Schwarz bring the words to life from dark skies to bouncy kids.



In this book, Dom Conlon goes beyond the moon as a planetary body. His poems are both whimsical and emotional.  These poems stretch your imagination, your knowledge and curiosity and yet deeply personal.

Often even as an adult reader, I felt as if the poet is directly talking to me. I'm sure young readers will feel that intimacy too - of the poet's voice echoing from the pages into their minds and hearts.

There are so many poems that I enjoyed in this collection. Every time I read a poem, it made me think of someone who'd love to read this poem too. I thought about sharing these poems with my nephews or friends who are space nerds like me.

There's something for everyone too. From perfectly circular shape poems to haikus and kennings,  funny poems to heartfelt poems, this is a treat to read any time of the day or night. Even better, under the blankets, pretending that the beam of the torchlight is actually the luminous moon.

You can find the the poet Dom Conlon read from his book here on this playlist. But here is a sample.


If you and your family love the moon and love watching it, enjoy using the cosmic elements to figure out life on earth, then this book is definitely for you.

Find out more about Dom Conlon at https://domconlon.com/ and Viviane Schwarz.




Chitra Soundar is an internationally published, award-winning author of over 40 books for children. She is also an oral storyteller and writer of theatre and TV for children. Her stories are inspired by folktales from India, Hindu mythology and her travels around the world. Find out more at www.chitrasoundar.com. Follow her on Twitter @csoundar




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