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A Stone Is a Story

Cover of the nonfiction picture book A Stone Is a Story by Leslie Barnard Booth, illustrated by Marc Martin. Sunset scene with dinosaurs, birds, mountains, and a rock skipping across water.

Follow a stone’s journey through time as it faces ice, water, wind, and scorching heat in this beautiful nonfiction picture book that is Seeds Move! meets A Stone Sat Still.

Written by Leslie Barnard Booth

Illustrated by Marc Martin

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

In Stores: October 3, 2023

Length: 40 pages

ISBN13: 9781534496941

Grades: P - 3

Ages 4 - 8

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, and to see—in every cliff, pebble, and stone—a window into Earth’s deep past.  

"Providing signposts about Earth’s change from the beginning of time to the present day, Booth’s study gives energy and intrigue to objects that seem deceptively quiet and ordinary—bringing history home via one stone held in a contemporary child’s hand . . ."

 

Publisher's Weekly, starred review

Beautiful illustration by Marc Martin of child on the beach reaching for a stone. Interior spread from the picture book A Stone Is a Story.

"An attractive and informative option for budding geologists."

 

Booklist

Beautiful illustration of a volcano, magma chamber, flowing lava, and stromatolites from the nonfiction picture book A Stone Is a Story.

"The language in this book is pure poetry, a true pleasure to read aloud."

—Jilanne Hoffmann, author of A River of Dust

Beautiful watercolor illustration of the ancient sea with ammonites, sharks, sea scorpions, and other creatures from the primordial ocean. An interior spread from the nonfiction picture book A Stone Is a Story. Illustration by Marc Martin.
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