All the Rocks We Love

Lisa Varchol Perron (My Love for You) and debut author Taylor Perron, a married team, survey common rock types, while art by Scheirer (Seashells of New England) features children of various abilities and skin tones finding rocks along a coastal path as well as in a city park, a backyard, a desertscape, and elsewhere. Each rock type gets its own spread and its own quatrain as those including shale, pumice, and limestone with embedded fossils are introduced in tight, primer-like verse: “Rocks are everywhere we look—strewn along the shore,/ nestled in the sidewalk cracks,/ and on the forest floor.” In one spread, about chert, text appears on the verso: “Rocks are good for gathering./ I hunt until I find/ a pocketful of river stones—/ rounded, smooth, and lined.” The rock’s name appears below with a close-up view of its stones and pebbles. On the recto, two children with brown skin and straight black hair wade as a cutaway view shows the rocky river bottom in which chert can be found. Featuring naturalistic portrayals of rocks alongside stylized, spare images of humans interacting with the natural world, it’s a true beginner’s guide for young rock hounds. Back matter offers more about each rock type introduced. Ages 3–6. Authors’ agent: Tricia Lawrence, Erin Murphy Literary. (July)