Ready for SOMETHING SPECTACULAR?

 When it comes to picture books about ROCKS, there are many to choose from. Several of those are high on my list of recommendations. I've reviewed several, from classics to newer releases, like THIS, THIS, and THIS. It's not difficult to encounter a kid (or grown kid) who is a fan of rocks. Some scout out specialty rocks (geodes, river rocks, mica rocks, and more). SOMETHING SPECTACULAR: A Rocks's Journey, written by Carmela LaVigna Coyle and illustrated by Carly Allen-Fletcher, provides an origin story for one example of a specialty kind of "found" rock: nature-formed heart-shaped rocks. This vibrant and dramatic account of the transformation of matter spans millions of years and reveals a seemingly dry nonfiction topic through colorful, action-packed, time-travel, a revelation for readers of any age. 

MUDDY BOOTS BOOKS, 2022

The research behind this rock-journey is evident, but is served up in a user-friendly, minimalist style through illustrations, text, and book design. Beginning with the cover, our eye  centers on a non-specific young person, someone fully enthralled with the magic in their open hands. The encircling images appear nearly surreal, of an uncertain period and location. It's the perfect launchpad for an astonishing, ethereal journey.

And yet, open the cover to the endpapers which reveal childlike, crayon-drawn figures. Whose story is this, the rock's or the child's? Then one more turn to the title page features a space-view image of planet Earth more than 300 million years ago, when the planet was a watery home to a single land mass, Pangea, which was evidently geologically active (volcanoes and landmass shifts) as well as spawning plant life.

We're not yet  entering the the narrative as one more page turns, providing publication information and a dedication. Those are wallpapered, corner to corner, with textured swatches and swirls of fiery color and movement. Illustrator Allen-Fletcher has notable works that range from adult to space science to science fiction and fantasy for youth. In the dramatic contrasts within these pages she demonsttrates her range and intentionality. The approach not only sets the stage for a 300,000 million year old geologic transition, but allows each successive stage to also shift across millennia, certain that those floating those end paper, childlike images will anchor to such a nearly timeless tale. The transitions are highly effective, and young readers (even those who can't yet comprehend such large numbers or spans of time) will hold both the story of an imagined child and a chunk of planet Earth that survives throughout time to become a discovery in a field.  It is absolutely brilliant, in my opinion.

That, though, was inspired by what I consider a brilliant narrative to set those parallel journeys in place. A sample of the opening establishes a repetitive pattern for pages:

 (Small heart icon) "272 years before she found it... (small font, color, at top left of page)

(Main text) It began beneath the bottom of a forgotten sea, as part of something spectacular."

Each turn launches a wide spread with an introductory phrase shifting time in millions then thousands of years, referencing time markers and events in the child's day, such as "before she at breakfast"  in relation to those incomparably enormous shifts in geologic time. The illustrations reveal how the planet's forces were impacting the matter that gradually becomes a rock, then is ruptured, rolled, washed, and buried by the forces of nature over time. The time references are both informative and helpful in comparing other long-passage periods that are sometimes confused or merged, such as dinosaurs and buffaloes roaming the earth. The concluding discovery of a heart-shaped rock in a field flips the cover perspective from the viewer's eyes to that of the child, capturing the wonder of it all, now illuminated by awareness of its theoretical journey. 

A special treat is the realization on the closing endpapers. The childlike drawings are discoverable as a map of her own day's travel, providing images to connect to each time-marker throughout her search day (breakfast through to discovery). Whether launching readers onto lifelong heart-rock searches or introducing geologic eras for an adolescent science lesson,  or even as mentor text for generating comparative timelines, this book truly is SPECTACULAR!

SCRATCHING the SURFACE: EXPLORING the EARTH'S LAYERS

Capstone Editions, 2025

Anyone who has been reading her for a while will realize how much I enjoy and admire nonfiction picture books. That's especially true for ones that offer depth and detail without forgetting the primary audience... young kids. The best among them appeal and inform the adults who may be reading the books to or with the little ones, and that's exactly the case for SCRATCHING THE SURFACE: EXPLORING THE EARTH'S LAYERS, written by Kate Allen Fox and Illustrated by Erin Brown.

I was very impressed and excited about the approach to text for such a potentially overwhelming or oversimplified topic. Before I pursue those thoughts, just take a careful look at that fantastic cover art (which wraps around to the back of the jacket as well. (I checked, and the hard case has the full cover art as well, which I applaud.) The details there, and on endpapers, are a portal to a scientific adventure inside th.e Earth

The illustrations are both vibrant and cartoonish in an easy to understand way, but also reflect the verifiable facts revealed in this entertaining text. The images indulge every kid's (or former kid's) desire to dig a hole through the Earth, to dig up diamonds or dinosaur bones, to find new answers to old questions. The layers shown in the cover image and endpapers deal with the crust of the Earth, but then the text leads readers deeper and deeper, with clarification about what we potentially can and can't reach by digging, and why that is. 

From fishing worms near the surface to the deepest fish fossils from the oldest seabeds, a whole world (OUR whole world) is revealed. Throughout, the pair of friends (diverse and delightful) center the story, bringing narrative back to their perspectives and awarenesses of the surface geology. Some diagrams and labels are inserted as well as data-rich sidebar text boxes, along with occasional speech-bubble-ish questions from kid-perspectives. These are all overlaid on double-page spreads, allowing both the expansiveness of the art and the particularity of the text to shine.

The illustrations work in tandem with terrific text, each enhancing and expanding the other. The main narration is presented in short segments of three to six lines in eye-friendly font. Those inserted questions or "wonders" are ones that a child on a lap might readily ask, simply and directly. Those lead the content forward as complex concepts unfold gradually and clearly. Small sidebars provide related technology content in paragraphs, in that parallel-text way that allows readers to read along with the main text in a first pass, or come back after the earlier reading, or turn back to particular pages later to locate details when needed. 

Science itself  takes center stage in kid-friendly ways, with a seismologist (female scientist of color, yay!) analyzing incoming data while the layers beneath the crust seem to twist and shift under her feet. Potential for those opening kid-characters shows them growing a bit older near the conclusion, participating in further exploration and realizing what is rarely pointed out in books at this level:

There are always more questions, since we've ONLY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE! 

or, as I often said when teaching science- This is what we know SO FAR!

The author note briefly expands on the idea of geologic studies in past, present, and the potential future, followed by a simple chart of the SCIENTIFIC METHOD, a glossary, and suggested further readings. 

Every bit of this book is mind-expanding and engaging, inviting teachers, librarians, and families to add it to their shelves and enjoy often. For more books on rocks and Earth stories, check HERE, HERE, HERE. 

TALKING ROCKS AND MINERALS: A Winner in Nonfiction!

GROSSET & DUNLAP, 2025

Summer. 

It's the perfect season for outdoor life, including ROCK COLLECTION! It takes very little to spark an interest in that activity for kids, but TALKING ROCKS AND MINERALS: A Fact -Packed Guide to Geology will be invaluable for any kid. Written by Paige Towler and illustrated by Matthen Carson, this one will win hearts and heads of rock-loving folks of any age.

 Kids will love this lively take on a favorite topic-- rocks and minerals! In this case, intrepid little reporter, PEBBLE, carries the info-rich text from page to page and right into the eyes and hearts of readers. I mention those eyes because they are so effective-- sometimes simple dots or lines, sometimes very-much GOOGLY-eyed, and other times side-eyed or otherwise full of expression. Regardless, it allows the illustrator to achieve a very comic-like impression while actually rendering precisely-detailed examples of rocks, minerals, processes, and more accurate, integrated content. 

Labeled images start the work of text, adding short statements within image boxes then slightly longer narratives, as needed. This combination allows for accessible reading and acquiring essential facts without overwhelming. Processing time matters, especially when young audiences are so enthused and leap to conclusions. (I know I do, even though I'm far from YOUNG).This text approach, as snippets and labels and brief statements, allows time to examine, to reread, to think and connect.

This combo of user-friendly text and visual appeal also invites repeated readings with acquiring  even more info each time, from text and visual content. It is so easy to miss slight references and puns on a first read, ones that reveal themselves through repetition. Back matter includes a glossary (again, content is accessible), as well as activity ideas, useful resources for more information, and a brief but fun note from a marine geologist!

This blend of factual content, asides, puns, and figurative language make a wealthy resource for language development, too. Kids vary their  interests, of course, but rarely does a child walk past a colorful or intricately shaped rock without stopping to handle it, to peer closely, to wonder (internally or aloud) and likely to "save". This book at home, library, or classroom will be a bonus to any rock collector's shelf. 

SPOOKY LAKES: Does That Get Your Attention?

ABRAMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
 2024

SPOOKY LAKES: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet is written and illustrated by Geo Rutherford.  If that title doesn't grab your attention, I don't know what would. Add to that attraction the fact that this is a fully illustrated, deeply researched nonfiction work that opens on a table top like an invitation to plan a trip! 

The creator's dedication reveals that she was named GEO by her science-loving mom, and from there I was hooked even further. The table of contents offers a helpful introduction, then individually names the twenty-five global lakes of various sizes and qualities that can be read in orders or searched by name. 

Backmatter begins with an author note that reveals something quite remarkable. She generates  a TikTok series called SPOOKY LAKES, and each October since 2020 she has produced a program on a different spooky lake for each of the 31 days of the month. I can attest that writing even a fictional scary story for each of 31 days would be daunting, but it seems this scary-lake obsessed woman has managed to do the deep-dive research and polished production process on various "scary lakes" each year. She goes on to thank loyal audiences for leading two this book, and discussed the spruces of her information and its reliability. (I'll just say that when writing about unexplained phenomena, skepticism is always a frame of reference.) Double spreads that follow provide excellent glossary content and an extensive bibliography, websites, and a helpful index. 

The various scary lake spreads in this 96 page beauty include informational text to identify the locations, mysteries, and accounts, as well as insets that reveal more about the geologic structures when needed, describe secondary details about history, warning signs, and surprising related facts and events, as well as examples of the evidence of what is happening in each lake/location. Some lakes burn with fire, some release toxic gases, and not all are made of water (a pitch lake and a brine lake are among examples of these). This professor, writer, artist, media star lives on the edge of spooky lake and challenges readers to read, if they dare. 

Summer travel might just allow you to be in an area worth exploring in a side trip.  Again, if you dare. 

Will you?