Books by John Rocco
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure
by John Rocco
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • YALSA EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION FINALIST • A ROBERT F. SIBERT HONOR BOOK
This beautifully illustrated, oversized guide to the people and technology of the moon landing by award-winning author/illustrator John Rocco (illustrator of the Percy Jackson series) is a must-have for space fans, classrooms, and tech geeks.
Everyone knows of Neil Armstrong's famous first steps on the moon. But what did it really take to get us there?
The Moon landing is one of the most ambitious, thrilling, and dangerous ventures in human history. This exquisitely researched and illustrated book tells the stories of the 400,000 unsung heroes--the engineers, mathematicians, seamstresses, welders, and factory workers--and their innovations and life-changing technological leaps forward that allowed NASA to achieve this unparalleled accomplishment.
From the shocking launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik to the triumphant splashdown of Apollo 11, Caldecott Honor winner John Rocco answers every possible question about this world-altering mission. Each challenging step in the space race is revealed, examined, and displayed through stunning diagrams, experiments, moments of crisis, and unforgettable human stories.
Explorers of all ages will want to pore over every page in this comprehensive chronicle detailing the grandest human adventure of all time!
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Hurricane
by David Wiesner, Jason Chin, John Rocco
When a storm is raging, David and George are glad to be inside the house, snug and safe. In this spectacular picture book by Caldecott Honor recipient David Wisener, a fallen tree becomes the threshold to the limitless voyage of the imagination, which David and George share as only true friends--and brothers--can.
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Hurricane
by David Wiesner, Jason Chin, John Rocco
A gorgeously-illustrated picture book about the power of community from Caldecott-Honoree John Rocco
That night the wind roars and rumbles,
like the sound of a thousand waves
pounding the shoreline.
A young boy’s favorite place in the world is the old, splintery neighborhood dock. At this dock the boy can swim, fish, or watch minnows dart between the rocks. But a hurricane is coming…and its violent winds and rain carry with it anything that can float.
Caldecott Honoree John Rocco shows the power of community and the beauty of rebuilding after adversity in this dramatically illustrated follow-up to Blizzard and Blackout.
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Hurricane
by David Wiesner, Jason Chin, John Rocco
Caldecott Medalist Jason Chin charts the thrilling saga of an island community’s brush with a category three hurricane, and the cutting-edge science that helps them prepare.
It’s a beautiful day on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. But while all seems calm now, a hurricane is barreling across the Atlantic, and everyone is wondering when it will hit the U.S. coast. And where.
Night and day, meteorologists use satellites to monitor the storm. Brave pilots fly directly into the tempest, dodging lightning bolts to gather crucial data. Back on the island, families board up windows, drag furniture upstairs, and stock survival kits to prepare for what may come.
From its dramatic opening, Hurricane alternates between striking maps charting the hurricane’s progress and daily life on the island.
Hurricane is at once a fascinating view into a natural disaster and a reassuring survey of the tools we use to mitigate the damage. As climate change makes hurricanes ever more destructive, this engaging and rigorous book is perfect for classrooms, and for families making their own safety plans. Jason Chin’s breathtaking artwork and clear, compelling text make Hurricane a gripping read for all ages. At the end, find even more information about hurricanes, with visual aids for deeper understanding.
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$19.99
Swim That Rock
A young working-class teen fights to save his family’s diner after his father is lost in a fishing-boat accident.
When his dad goes missing in a fishing-boat accident, fourteen-year-old Jake refuses to think he may have lost his father forever. But suddenly, nothing seems certain in Jake’s future, and now his family’s diner may be repossessed by loan sharks. In Narragansett Bay, scrabbling out a living as a quahogger isn’t easy, but with the help of some local clammers, Jake is determined to work hard and earn enough money to ensure his family’s security and save the diner in time. Told with cinematic suspense and a true compassion for the characters, Swim That Rock is a fast-paced coming-of-age story that beautifully and evocatively captures the essence of coastal Rhode Island life, the struggles of blue-collar family dynamics, and the dreams of one boy to come into his own.
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Swim That Rock
“Steeped in atmosphere and rich in detail, this adventure captures the salt in the air as well as the omnipresent ticking deadline.” — Publishers Weekly
When his dad goes missing in a fishing-boat accident, fourteen-year-old Jake refuses to think he may have lost his father forever. But forever or not, it’s up to Jake to pay the loan sharks threatening to repossess his family's diner. Scrabbling out a living as a quahogger isn’t easy in Narragansett Bay, but with the help of some local clammers, Jake’s determination and hard work may just be enough to save the family business.
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Wolf! Wolf!
by John Rocco
A crafty old wolf finds a peaceful way to satisfy his hunger in this alternate version of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," told from the wolf's point of view and set in Asia.
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Blackout (Caldecott Honor Book)
by John Rocco
One hot summer night in the city, all the power goes out. The TV shuts off and a boy wails, "Mommm!" His sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can't work on her computer, and Dad can't finish cooking dinner. What's a family to do? When they go up to the roof to escape the heat, they find the lights--in stars that can be seen for a change--and so many neighbors it's like a block party in the sky! On the street below, people are having just as much fun--talking, rollerblading, and eating ice cream before it melts. The boy and his family enjoy being not so busy for once. They even have time to play a board game together. When the electricity is restored, everything can go back to normal . . . but not everyone likes normal. The boy switches off the lights, and out comes the board game again.
Using a combination of panels and full bleed illustrations that move from color to black-and-white and back to color, John Rocco shows that if we are willing to put our cares aside for a while, there is party potential in a summer blackout.
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Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom
by John Rocco
Every super hero gets his powers from somewhere. The young hero of this book, Rocco, thinks his abilities come from his shock of red hair, and the longer it gets, the stronger he becomes. He even has a posse of super friends with wild hair of their own. Our hero is unstoppable--until the day he's dragged to the super evil villain's lair and robbed of his powers. How will he face his friends? Will he ever regain his super hero-ness? A girl who has been watching all along offers the gang a chance to save the day and get their groove back.
With bold images that burst with energy from white backgrounds and narration as earnest as Superman himself, SUPER HAIR-O AND THE BARBER OF DOOM is a feel-good and funny book for emergent comic book fans and parents who grew up on them.
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Blizzard
by John Rocco
Blizzard is based on John Rocco's childhood experience during the now infamous Blizzard of 1978, which brought fifty-three inches of snow to his town in Rhode Island. Told with a brief text and dynamic illustrations, the bookopens with a boy's excitement upon seeing the first snowflake fall outside his classroom window. It ends with the neighborhood's immense relief upon seeing the first snowplow break through on their street. In between the boy watches his familiar landscape transform into something alien, and readers watch him transform into a hero who puts the needs of others first. John uses an increasing amount of white space in his playful images, which include a gatefold spread of the boy's expedition to the store. This book about the wonder of a winter storm is as delicious as a mug of hot cocoa by the fire on a snowy day.
Praise for Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom
"With a light, humorous touch, Rocco reveals that sometimes the Kryptonite is all in your head."
--Publishers Weekly
"Bold, colorful pen-and-ink illustrations burst with power from each spread in comic-book style. This story will make a feel-good impr
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