Hidden Gem

 
　　一顆小石頭，自由自在地獨自翻滾，有一天，他看到好多石頭正排隊進入岩石博物館，館內正舉辦「世界最美的寶石大展」。好奇的小石頭也跟著走入展示廳，瞧瞧其他的石頭究竟在做什麼。當他步入雄偉華麗的大廳，哇！他從未見過這樣的景象。聚光燈打在一顆又一顆各具特色的寶石、礦石和水晶身上，欣賞的同時，小石頭既驚奇又迷惘，忍不住東張西望，小小聲地問：「我也可以變得特別嗎？」「請問，我該怎麼做，才能變得和你一樣？」　
 
　　小石頭好徬徨，心想自己或許應該先試試模仿，他腦中浮現（石頭版的）藝術傑作蒙娜麗莎、大衛像，他心想「我是不是該改變自己的形狀，或把自己畫上不同的顏色？」「這會讓我更融入群體？還是把我變得煥然一新？」走過一個又一個展示櫃，他的小腦袋瓜冒出一堆疑問，卻沒有答案，直到他瞥見了一顆珍貴的石頭，閃耀著和其他的石頭都不一樣的光彩……　
 
　　小石頭搶眼的眼睛造型，讓人聯想起知名繪本創作者雍．卡拉森的風格，從視覺上營造巧妙的幽默感。Linda Liu的第一本繪本作品結合水彩與電腦繪圖技法，呈現豐富的色彩與紋理以及角色生動有趣的表情。適合大聲朗讀、韻律感十足的文字，適合和小讀者一起分享共讀，在這趟探索自我價值的旅程中，或許我們和故事中的主角，都能在心中找到答案。（文／博客來編譯）

THIS BOOK ROCKS!!
(It also happens to be about a rock...)

Prepare to fall in love with this irresistible debut picture book and its quirky story of a rock’s journey to find self-confidencewith accessible social emotional themes, perfect for fans of Oddbird and Something’s Wrong.

When a small pebble sees others gathering on the steps of the Museum of Rocks, he grows curious. Once inside the esteemed halls, he is shocked by what he discovers. The only rocks on display are glittering gemstones, geodes, and crystals!

These beautiful stones make him wonder: Can he be special, too? Perhaps he’ll find an answer in the World’s Most Beautiful Gem exhibition . . . or maybe, just maybe, he will find the answer inside himself.

＂Breathtaking.＂ --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Linda Liu is an illustrator and designer based in Southern California with a taste for tactile textures, saucy shapes, and palatable palettes. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design and now works freelance and full-time so she can be a girl boss and a girl employee at the same time. Hidden Gem is her debut picture book. Her favorite gem is pearl.
lindersliu.com