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Writer's pictureSarah Tobias

Is Life Rocky or Does it Rock? -- Books with Rocks

I love rocks. I have a far too large collection, but I can't help myself when I see a cool rock I need to pick it up and give it a good look. We have kindness rocks by our mailbox, there are rocks in my garden, and rocks all around my office. I have a few rocks that I collected when I was a child growing up on the rocky shores of Green Bay.


A rock with a fossil of some shell like creature.
A fossil in a rock

This rock was super old even when I was a child. It's one of the rocks that made me curious and turned me into a rockhound.


You didn't come here to get my life story in rocks. You came for some books that include rocks.










There are so many things you can do with a rock. Discover the possibilities with Pat Zietlow Miller's book What Can You Do with a Rock? The illustrations by Katie Kath are very inviting. Take a momet to compare


the inside cover spreads to those in A Rock is Lively. It's so cool to see how different artists create their art.


When's the last time you went rock hunting? Did you find anything cool? Did you make a new friend?


Cover Art for Hot Dog by Doug Salati

I have to admit, I picked this book up because of the adorable dachshund on the cover. We had dachshunds as I was growing up and this little one is so adorable. But then, it pulled at my heart strings, and it gave me rocks too.

I immediately ordered the book so I could have my own copy.


What do you like to do when it's just too hot outside?


Give me a beach day any day of the year!





Cover art for Rick the Rock of Room 214 by Julie Falatko and Ruth Chan

Rick sits on the Nature Finds shelf of Room 214. After hearing the teacher teach the students about rocks, Rick wants adventure. He wants to experience being outdoors. When opportunity strikes, Rick finds his way outside and learns about life and the dangers of being an outside rock.


Ricks friends include, bark, moss, and acorn.

Who would you add to the Nature Finds shelf?


A story about seeing the world from other perspectives. Being happy where you are, imagination, and adventure.




Cover art for Charlotte and the Rock by Stephen W. Martin and Samantha Cotterill

"Charlotte Grey wanted a pet. She didn't care what kind of pet. . . . For her birthday her parents gave her a pet rock."


Stephen W. Martin play with the challenges of having a rock for a pet.


What challenges do you think illustrator Samantha Cotterill came up with?

Would you like to have a pet rock?



What would you name it?



Cover art for A Rock is Lively by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

Sylivia Long's illustrations pull you right into this beautiful book, A Rock is Lively. Dianna Hutts Aston's words give you a whole new way to think about rocks.


"Today, humans use rocks to make cement and bricks, paper and pencils, glass, and toothpaste."


Take a dive to see what else you can learn about rocks.







Cover art for a Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel

Brendan Wenzel uses collage to take you into the world of one rock in A Stone Sat Still.


"A stone sat still

with the water. grass, and dirt

and it was as it was

where it was in the world."


Who visits this rock? What color is the rock at different times of day? What story does the rock have to share?



Cover art for Old Rock 9is not boring) by Deb Pilutti

I wrote a post a while back about Old Rock (is not boring) by Deb Pilutti. You can read it here.











Cover art for What's in your Pocket? Collecting Nature's Treasures. by Heather L. Montgomery and Maribel Lechuga

"When you explore the great outdoors and find something strange and wonderful, do you put it in your pockets?"


Meet nine budding scientists who collected things and became scientists.


Nature is full of treasures. All you have to do is be curious and spend a little time exploring, and discovering all that the world has to offer.



Yo can order any or all of these books from Bookshop.org. Your purchases support independent books stores and me. I get a little cut from your purchases. Support the authors and illustrators by borrowing the books from the library. If your library doesn't have the book, be sure to suggest it as a purchase. You can also purchase the books from your local Indie bookstore or from Amazon. I get a little cut from them too.



Check out these popping rocks! We thinks it's the quartz that's making this happen.

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jilannehoffmann
Sep 29, 2022

Love your list! So many here that I love, too! But I'll be adding a couple to my TBR pile. And that video....now you've got me curious....

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Sarah Tobias
Sarah Tobias
Sep 29, 2022
Replying to

I know. It's so cool! Little did I know that rocks really do pop.

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