Beckmeyer, Drew. Stalactite and Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave. Drew Beckmeyer, Illus. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, 03/2025. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-6659-2663-8. GRADES Preschool–3. OUTSTANDING.
A little nub on the roof of a cave slowly drips on the little nub below, and the two unlikely characters first strike up a conversation in the early days of Earth, with lots of volcanic activity in the background. They have a running dialogue with each other and sometimes the creatures that visit their cave, illustrated by collage, paint that evokes rock textures, and dramatically changing colorful views outside the cave opening. Stalactite and Stalagmite’s acquaintance turns into a friendship for the ages, as they gently tease each other and philosophize and wonder why some visitors never come back. The words “DRIP DRIP DRIP” painted large in the mixed-media artwork and the noticeable growth of our protagonists signal the passage of much time every few pages, while a subtle visual timeline along the bottom of each spread marks the current point. There is a more complete line-drawn timeline and further information on the final spread and a playful curling timeline on the final end sheets, but no numerical time periods, a choice that makes sense for a young audience. With brilliant comic timing in every page turn, illustration, and bit of dialogue, including upside down comments from the bat hanging by its feet from Stalactite, this delightfully humorous, sweet, and awe-inspiring book explores the passage of geologic time, life, death, extinction, change, and friendship. Recipient of a Caldecott Honor.
Jennifer Vetter—Montclair Elementary School / Oakland Unified School District