Skip to main content

If You Like...Rocks

One of my favorite museum exhibits I visited recently was about rocks and minerals. It was fascinating to learn about how some of the beautiful stones had formed and how they are used in so many of our everyday objects and tools! Here are five picture books to read with budding geologists and anyone who likes to learn about or collect rocks.

A Stone Is a Story
Written by Leslie Barnard Booth
Illustrated by Marc Martin
New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023. Informational. 40 pages.

This picture book follows the story of a stone in the various phases of its existence--from a volcano, to the ocean, to a mountain, to you. Dynamic vocabulary and watercolor illustrations enhance this imaginative read.

Written by Julie Falatko
Illustrated by Ruth Chan
New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2022. Picture Book.

Rick is tired of sitting on the Nature Finds shelf of classroom 214. He wants adventure like the rocks the class has learned about that spew from volcanoes and tumble off cliffs. When Rick escapes the classroom to go back to the great outdoors, he realizes that maybe the rambunctious atmosphere of the classroom with the friends on his shelf is more exciting after all.

Written by Pat Zietlow Miller
Illustrated by Katie Kath
Naperville, I: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2021. Picture Book.

This picture book offers a host of suggestions of what you can do with rocks as you collect them, play games with them, or share them with new friends. The end also includes information on different types of rocks, and resources to better organize your personal rock collection. 

By Deb Pilutti
New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2020. Picture Book.

Old Rock has been sitting in the same place for a long time, and his friends in the forest are certain that he must be boring. They soon change their minds though, as Old Rock shares the adventures he has had through the ages, watching and interacting with volcanoes, dinosaurs, mastodons, and the growth of the forest itself. 

By Sarah Noble
London: Flying Eye Books, 2022. Picture Book.

Three otter siblings are each seeking their own perfect rock to help them break open the delicious shellfish they love to eat. When they only find one perfect rock to use, the siblings fight over who will take it home, but when faced with a storm, they realize that sometimes family is what can really make things perfect.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...

If You Like... Folktales

Folktales have long carried the wisdom, imagination, and traditions of cultures around the world by passing stories from one generation to the next. They often weave together important life lessons with magical creatures or daring adventures. Books, like the ones on this list, bring these age-old tales to life for today’s readers. Each story is rooted in its own cultural heritage and offers a glimpse into the values of the people who first told them. They remind us that storytelling is a powerful way to connect us across time and place. The Three-Year Tumble By Dayeon Auh New York: NorthSouth Books, 2025. Picture Book. Based on a beloved Korean folktale, a superstitious grandfather and his thoughtful granddaughter turn the legend of Misfortune Mountain on its head. According to the myth, anyone who falls down the mountain has only 3 years left to live! Together, this family learns how changing your mindset can make a positive impact on your life. The Salt Princess By Anoosha Syed New Y...

Five Faves: Witchy Intermediates

Hee hee hee! Hello, my pretties! Here are five short, illustrated chapter books for the season of the witch - some sweet, some spooky, all magical.  The Knitting Witch Written by Norma Kassirer Illustrated by Mark Richardson. Oakland, California : The Collective Book Studio, 2024. Intermediate. 88 pages. Outrageously spoiled Ivy Lou meets her match when a witch appears and tries to trick her into becoming her child. Ivy Lou must unravel the witch's dark magic and save her parents. A modern classic in the register of Roald Dahl, with mischief, humor and spookiness. Witchycakes: Sweet Magic  Written by Kara LaReau Illustrated by Ariane Moreira. New York : Random House Children's Books, 2025. Intermediate. 76 pages. Witchycakes  owes a lot to  Kiki's Delivery Service : a cute newbie witch making and delivering baked goods to the residents of their dreamy seaside town. It's cozy and sweet with lots of glowy illustrations. New Girl: Diary of an Accidental Witch Written by...