My Little Book of Rocks, Minerals, and Gems

Martin provides a brisk but wide-ranging overview of rocks and minerals in this addition to the My Little Book series. The photo-driven format presents full-bleed vistas of the Grand Canyon and its layers of sandstone, Northern Ireland’s basalt Giant’s Causeway, and other dramatic locations, which are paired with smaller inset photographs that tie in with each spread’s theme. Those topics include explanations of how various rocks form as well as focused looks at specific rocks, gems, and minerals (marble, coal, silicates, diamonds, etc.), all discussed in clear, direct writing (“Shale is a sedimentary rock made of mud and clay”). Not every obscure mineral gets defined (“Kaolinite and illite give clay a brown or orangey color”), but a glossary is included. Readers will pick up fascinating tidbits about these varied minerals and elements, and gain a sense of how humans put them to use. Ages 4–8. (May)