A Stone is a Story by Leslie Barnard Booth illustrated by Marc Martin

Stop and talk about the cover with your young reading companion then find a river or lake and skip a few stones! Next read this book and go back and look closely at your stone - it holds a wonderful story.

"A stone is not just a stone. A stone is a story."

“Where do rocks come from?” The answer may be more incredible than you think! After all, a stone is not just a stone: a stone is a story. Embark on a journey across time to see how one stone can change and transform, from magma under Earth’s crust, to the sand swept up by a rushing river, to the very heart of the tallest mountain. Watch what happens when rain, ice, and wind mold this rock into something new, something you might even hold in your hand—something full of endless possibility. 

From the teachers notes. 

This is a perfect nonfiction book. It contains a lyrical text, scrumptious illustrations that are almost tactile, a double fact page at the back, a glossary and a source list. Bonus - here in Australia this large format book is not too expensive. 

Publisher blurb: “Where do rocks come from?” The answer may be more incredible than you think! After all, a stone is not just a stone: a stone is a story. Embark on a journey across time to see how one stone can change and transform, from magma under Earth’s crust to the sand swept up by a rushing river to the very heart of the tallest mountain. Watch what happens when rain, ice, and wind mold this rock into something new, something you might even hold in your hand—something full of endless possibility. Complete with additional information about geology and the rock cycle, this lyrical and captivating story invites readers to experience the wonder of the natural world around us, and to see—in every cliff, pebble, and stone—a window into Earth’s deep past.

Resources: Storytime Guide; detailed Lesson Guide for grades 3 and 4. (Links from publisher page). Here is an interview with the author - Leslie Barnard Booth. Take a look here to see more art by Marc Martin. Follow his work on Instagram. In this interview he talks about his book Masters of Disguise. 

Companion books:

Old Rock (is not boring)

What can you do with a rock?

Petra

Here are some additional and fabulous resources from my friend at Kinderbookswitheverything. She is a big fan of rocks and pebbles:

• Pet Rock Day
• Old Rock Day
• Geologists Day
• International Rock Day

And I am a huge fan of art by Marc Martin. I even own a limited edition print of an illustration from one of his books (Max). I am now very keen to see his latest book We are Starlings BUT here in Australia it is listed at AUS$40-AUS$60 so I don't imagine it will be purchased by any libraries here which is crazy because Marc Martin lives in Melbourne!

A River

Max

The Willoughby's Return by Lois Lowry

"Many years before - thirty years to be exact - Mr and Mrs Willoughby had embarked on an extended vacation (they used the Reprehensible Travel agency), leaving their four children hehind. They didn't like the children very much (and to be honest, the children didn't like them, either), and so it was not a tragedy for them to be separated. But it would have been illegal for them to leave the children all alone (the eldest Tim, was just twelve). To keep things on the up and up, Mr Willoughby had advertised for a nanny."

It is now thirty years later. So much has happened. Tim is the boss of a successful candy company, he has a son called Ritchie. BUT the US congress have just banned candy following lobbying by the American Dental Association. The other three children are now adults, living in other parts of the US and all three have happy, but very different lives. Mr and Mrs Willoughby have been frozen in the Swiss alps all these years but now they have deforested. They are still the most unpleasant people you could ever meet and show no remorse for their treatment of their children. It is time for them to return but so much has changed.

This book is such a fun romp but I do think you will enjoy it even more if you can find and read the first instalment before rejoining the mayhem of the Willoughbys.

Blurb from the first book: The Willoughby children—Timothy, twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister Jane—are fond all old-fashioned things, but especially old-fashioned adventures. What they aren't fond of, however, are their parents. Truth be told, their parents aren't the fondest of them, either, and they're concocting an evil plan to get rid of their children once and for all! Both parents and children have plenty of dastardly ideas and tricks up their sleeves. The only thing they don't have is any idea of what lies between them and a happily-ever-after.

Blurb from the second book: Although they grew up as wretched orphans, the Willoughby siblings also became heirs to the the Melanoff candy company fortune. Everything has turned out just splendidly, except for one problem: Richie Willoughby, son of Timothy Willoughby, is an only child and is quite lonely. Winifred and Winston Poore have long admired the toys of their neighbour Richie Willoughby and finally befriend the mysterious boy next door. But just as Richie finally begins to make friends, selling sweets is made illegal, and the family's fortune is put in jeopardy. To make matters worse, Richie's horrible Willoughby grandparents—frozen atop a Swiss mountain thirty years ago—have thawed, remain in perfect health, and are making their way home again. What is the point of being the reclusive son of a billionaire when your father is no longer a billionaire What is the future without candy in it And is there any escaping the odiousness of the Willoughbys.

Listen to an audio sample here. 

The threads of the story, with various tales of parents gone missing, fortunes lost or never found, and good luck in the end, are gathered most satisfactorily and warmheartedly. Highly amusing. Kirkus

If you enjoy the two Willoughby books you are sure to also enjoy A Series of Unfortunately events and by chance I have just started reading Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker - a book that would be simply perfect to read before or after the two Willoughby books.

One special feature of The Willoughbys return are the fun footnotes which often reference contemporary culture especially because Mr and Mrs Willoughby have missed all the innovations of the last thirty years. Words like uber, google, Brexit, HBO, satellite radio, Twitter, FaceTime and Skype are so confusing.

Old Rock (is not boring) by Deb Pilutti

You see a rock in a field. Are you curious about how that rock might have arrived there? After all rocks are not alive, they are not born, they don't have families and they cannot walk around. How did this rock end up here. This book is partly a narrative written for young children perhaps about identity and contentment and partly a book about the evolution of rocks!

Here is the sequence:

"I erupted out of a volcano and soared through a fiery sky ... "

"The world chilled (and) ... Old Rock took a ride in a glacier ... "

"Once the glacier melted, it left me perched at the top of a ridge ..."

"The ground rumbled and I tumbled and stumbled down, down, down into a valley."

And that is how the rock came to meet the tall pine tree, the spotted lady beetle and a lovely hummingbird. 

Publisher blurb: Old Rock has been sitting in the same spot in the pine forest for as long as anyone can remember. Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think just sitting there must be boring, but they are in for a wonderful surprise. Fabulous tales of adventurous travel, exotic scenery, entertaining neighbors, and more from Old Rock’s life prove it has been anything but boring. Great storytellers come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and Old Rock’s stories are sure to inspire questions that lead to wonderful conversations about the past and the natural world.

This book is perfect for young geologists and for junior classrooms - a terrific way to talk about rocks BUT now for the really bad news.  Lately (for reasons I don't understand) picture books, especially picture books from the US have become suddenly so very expensive here in Australia. No school library will be able to afford this book as it is now listed at over $40.  I borrowed it from a library who purchased it in 2020 and they paid $30. I love the way the Teacher-Librarian in this school takes the trouble to write prices and suppliers on her books. 

Deb Pilutti has a few suggested activities on her web page. Here is a video which might be useful if you cannot afford this book for your library. Old Rock was the 2022 winner of the Giverny Award. Read more about this award here. The judges said:

We predict our youngest readers will find this geologic perspective fascinating. We also suspect children, when encountering rocks in their daily lives, will view them differently after reading Old Rock (is not boring).

Throughout, Pilutti’s expressive cartoon art is punctuated by speech balloons, some with words and some with rebus like images, that add humour to the already witty main text, and the facial features she supplies her protagonist with are delightfully communicative. ...  This picture book rocks! Kirkus Star review

A multi-layered story, perfect for general story times or as a lead in to science lessons and to promote discussion and research in the classroom, Old Rock (is not boring) would be an original and exciting addition to home, classroom, and public library collections. Celebrate Picture Books

Take a look at this Pinterest collection Stones, rocks and pebbles compiled by my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything.

Here is a famous rock that I love to see in southern New South Wales. It is way bigger than the rock in this book:

Image source: Aussie Towns

Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake illustrated by Jon Klassen

Exceptionally sweet. Kirkus star review

Badger has his life under control. He enjoys his routines and he has his passion for rocks and minerals. He is lucky to be able to live alone, rent free, in Aunt Lula's brownstone row house. Aunt Lula is a pine marten. She never visits. She writes letters.  Badger does not always open these letters. Today there is a knock on his front door. Looking outside, Badger sees Skunk. He tries to ignore the knocking but Skunk is persistent.

When Skunk comes into the house (Aunt Lula had informed Badger he was coming! It's in an unread letter) life for Badger is turned upside down. This pair are truly an odd couple and it does seem almost impossible that they could ever be friends but I so wanted that to happen.

This book is due for publication on 15th September, 2020.  I suggest you add it to your 'to buy' list RIGHT NOW.  You will want to add this book to your school library and to your home library collection. This book will be perfect to read aloud to your child or to a Grade 2 or 3 class.

The food in this book is especially delicious:

"A few minutes later, Skunk laid a plate of scrambled eggs with fire-roasted peppers in front of Badger. ... Thereafter followed the promised breakfast hot chocolate - yes! - and a basket of strawberry cinnamon muffins. (A basket!) After everything else came roasted fingerling potatoes."

An exploration of friendship, tolerance of difference, individuality and forgiveness are themes in this book but so is the power of words and they way they can hurt others. Spoiler alert but the words used are nuisance and  vermin.

You can read a story extract and see some illustrations by Jon Klassen here. This is the first book in a series and I am excited to keep reading these terrific books by Amy Timberlake.  Here is a special interview by Elizabeth Bird where she talks to Amy about her book. I also found some teachers notes which look very useful if you were sharing this book with a class. I'd recommend Grade 4 or 5.

Summing up this relationship:

Badger is Curmudgeonly but also able to see his own faults

Skunk is Impetuous but has a heart of gold

Oh and you might learn the names of some chicken varieties too.

Ko Shamos; Orpington; Dominicker; Jersey Giant; Orloff.  The Orpingon is the purple chicken that Badger mentions when he is marveling at all the different chickens in his kitchen.

There are some terrific books about odd couples.  I have been collecting picture books on this theme. Here are a few favourites.

Wolf and Dog

Rabbit and Bear

Books by Jory John