I, Rock

Name: I, Rock
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

by Eoin McLaughlin, illustrated by Mark Chambers

Interest age: 3 to 7
Reading age: 7+

Published by HarperCollins Children's Books, 2026

Funny
Picture books

About this book

All Rock wants is to celebrate their 3 billionth birthday with friends. They’ve been around for an awfully long time, so it feels like an occasion worth marking. But as the big day gets closer, Rock reflects on their time on Earth and starts to worry that nobody will come. Worm is too busy, and Rock hasn’t seen Gary the Dinosaur for a very long time. Will his birthday turn out to be as lonely as he fears?

This is a truly original picture book that makes an unexpected central character out of a rock. Rock’s deadpan, matter-of-fact voice is really funny, and children will love the humour as the world evolves and revolves around them. Through Rock’s eyes readers learn a little about the geological history of the Earth and evolution in a playful, accessible way.

Mark Chambers’ illustrations add heaps of personality and help bring the changing world around Rock to life with lots of details for children to enjoy (including a very naughty fox). Alongside the fun, there’s also a gentle emotional thread running through the story about friendship, patience and wanting to feel remembered.

A warm, witty and inventive picture book.

About the illustrator

Although he wanted to be a golfer, chef, fighter pilot and master Lego builder (not all at the same time), Mark found that his skills were much more suited to becoming a professional doodler. He graduated with a degree in Illustration from University of Lincoln in 2003 and the Bright Agency started to represent him a few months later. He now works from a studio which is a short walk from his house and shares it with a lobster, a Mogwai and a dancing robot!