Exploring the Earth and Beyond

I have SO many books to share that I need to start talking about more than one at a time!

themes: nonfiction, scientists, ecology

Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites 

by Sandra Neil Wallace; illus. by Nancy Carpenter 

48 pages; ages 5-9

‎Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books. 2025

Ursula grew up in a small Vermont village with big mountains to explore. They wrapped around her house like a crescent moon.

During the winter, Ursula loved skiing by moonlight. In the summer, she helped collect potato beetles with her father, the state’s entomologist. But Ursula wanted to be an explorer, not a scientist. Until… she looked at a rock under a microscope.

Despite being discouraged by professors, Ursula went on to study geology. She got so good at recognizing minerals, that she became one of the first geologists to study the rocks the Apollo astronauts brought back from the moon. She studied bits of meteorites, too – an interest that led her to Antarctica.

What I like about this book: It’s a polar adventure and a story of discovery of a bit of the moon that landed on earth. Lots of kids dream of being an explorer – so reading about a real expedition to Antarctica to look for meteorites might be the perfect story. Back matter includes more about Ursula, facts about Antarctica, and a timeline of Ursula’s life and discoveries. I especially like that the author, Sandra, talks about the research she did to bring this story to the page.

The Big Empty: A Sagebrush Survival Story 

by Kirbi Fagan 

32 pages; ages 5-10

‎Millbrook Press, 2025

People passing by call this land the big empty. But I call it home. 

In spare and poetic text, accompanied by lush paintings, Kirbi Fagan reveals the secrets of the shrubby desert.

What I like about this book: I grew up in the land of sagebrush and never thought about the desert from the sagebrush’s point of view. But that’s exactly what this book does. Back matter explains more about the sagebrush (there’s more than one kind!) and highlights a handful of animals inhabiting the western shrublands. This book might make you want to pack a tent and a few gallons of water and head out to sleep with the sage. Where, if you are lucky, you may see meteorites streak across the sky at night.

Beyond the Books:

Meet two scientists who work with moon rocks at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcvqhhCYzAo

Explore like a scientist. If you like rocks, use a magnifying lens to look closely at a rock in your environment. If you like plants, take a close look at a shrub or (if you’re lucky and have one) sagebrush. Draw pictures of what you see and make a list of words that describe what you’re looking at..

Tell a story about a place from the point of view of something found in that environment: a rock or mountain, a plant or animal… or even something falling from the sky and landing there.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers and Blue Slip media (Rock Star)

Books that Explore Volcanoes

 There are so many ways to explore volcanoes: you could hike up a dormant volcano (there are plenty hanging around North America), or fly over an active volcano. There are also plenty of ways to share your volcano discoveries: you could paint pictures, take photos, write poetry, film a video. Here are two books that take different paths up a volcano.

theme: volcanoes, geology, nature

Climbing the Volcano: A Journey in Haiku 

by Curtis Manley; illus. by Jennifer K. Mann 

48 pages; ages 4-8

Neal Porter Books, 2024

dormant volcano—

but at sunrise each day

it blazes

This book is an adventure story. Author, Curtis Manley shares a “there and back again” tale in which a family hikes up Oregon’s South Sister volcano. Along the way, we discover tiny toads, a trail of pawprints through the snow, butterflies … and what the world looks like from a raven’s point of view. 

What I like about this book: The entire story is told through a series of haiku – small snapshots of the journey. The journey extends over the course of a day, and also through different ecosystems as the family climbs above treeline. There is also back matter: more information about the South Sister volcano; things to carry with you on a mountain hike; a visual guide to the plants and animals observed along the way; and a bit about what haiku is and how you can try to write your own. They may be short, notes Curtis, but they are powerful. Also, did I mention the illustrations? They are marvelous! Make sure you peek under the dust jacket so you can see the ”undies.”

I can’t believe that I’ve had this book lost in my book basket for two years! (That’s what happens sometimes when they come as F&Gs … they are very “slouchy” and easy to lose track of) 

Volcanoes 

by Gail Gibbons 

32 pages; ages 4-8

‎Holiday House, 2022

The ground begins to rumble. Loud roars, hissing, and violent blasts are coming from deep inside the Earth. Suddenly ….

Ash, lava, rocks, and steam shoot into the air! We’ve got a volcano. Author Gail Gibbons introduces children to the inner earth layers, and what happens when a volcano breaks through the crust. Bold, bright colors will entice children to linger over the illustrations.

What I like about this book: One thing Gail does in her books is show the details. In this one she shows the tools and equipment volcanologists use as they study the volcano, maps of the tectonic plates, and an inside look at how a volcano forms. I like that she includes a list of what to do when there’s a volcano warning and an introduction to famous volcanoes. This book is so fact-filled there is no need for back matter. 

Beyond the Books:

Tour a volcano – above and inside! You can do this safely with this National Geographic video 

Create and map a volcano. Here’s a NASA video that shows how.

Last year, Lestie Barnard Booth shared her field trip to the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland. You can read it here. And here is the CBS 60 Minutes video about it.

Climb a volcano – if you don’t have one nearby, hike up a mountain. What plants and animals do you see on your hike? What do you hear? What does the world look like from the top? Share what you discover by writing your own haiku or drawing a picture.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

How the Sea Came to Be

I’m always on the lookout for good books that show evolution of life on our planet. I can’t believe I missed this one when it came out last spring – but I got a copy last month and I’m glad I did. It’s lovely! Just look at the gorgeous cover art ...

How the Sea Came to Be (And All the Creatures In It)  

by Jennifer Berne; illus. by Amanda Hall 

56 pages; ages 6-10

‎Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2023

theme: ocean, marine animals, evolution

Billions and billions of years long ago,

when the Earth was young and new,

the world was so hot, rock melted and boiled,

and fiery, wild winds blew.

The birth of our planet was hot and sizzly. Volcanoes exploded. Asteroids crashed from the sky. But over time our planet began to cool. Rains washed into low spots, filling oceans and creating habitat ripe for emerging life. Simple organisms paved the way for ribbed and frilled creatures, spongy clusters clinging to rock, worms, trilobites … eventually fish.

What I like love about this book: I love the language in this book! So many verbs. The young Earth sizzles, simmers, bubbles and burbles. As it cools, the crust heaves and puckers, wrinkles and bulges. I love that you have to turn the book, at one point, to get a vertical view of the deep, deep sea. The lyrical language introduces young readers (and listeners) to geology, oceanography, marine biology, and the diversity of life that has inhabited the seas over four and a half billion years.

And there is Back Matter! We are still discovering, still learning, says Jennifer Berne in her author’s note. Gate-folds open to show more about ocean creatures through time. There’s a glossary of key terms and concepts, and lots of resources: books, videos, webpages, museums and aquariums. This book is a tremendous resource for any classroom – and guaranteed to ignite the imagination of any child interested in the ocean.

Beyond the Books:

Visit a museum and look at the displays of fossils of ancient sea life. My favorites are trilobites!

Check out this video of Trilobites (here). Remember when I said trilobites are my faves?

Write or draw a story about exploring the ocean and some ancient creatures you find.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Since this book also appeals to older readers, look for us on Monday over at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Stories in Stone

 When I was a kid, my dad would take the family out on rock-hunting expeditions. Sometimes we looked for topaz, fossils, and other treasured stones we could bring home. Other times we’d explore the spectacular geological wonders in our backyard: Bryce Canyon, Arches, Zion, the Grand Canyon. Now I live in a place where receding glaciers left moraines and drumlins. So I thought I share two wonderful books about rocks and landforms.

Themes: rocks, geology, erosion

Nature Is a Sculptor: Weathering and Erosion

by Heather Ferranti Kinser
32 pages; ages 5-9
Millbrook Press, 2023

Nature is a sculptor. With water, ice, and wind…

…it etches and scrapes, carves and molds canyons and cliffs, arches and columns. This combination of lyrical writing and spectacular photographs might leave you wanting to head out on a car trip to see whatever rock formations you’ve got nearby.

What I like about this book: I love the photos – you can armchair tour national parks from around the country. There’s back matter, too, that tells more about weathering, erosion, and deposition. Another section describes nature’s tools: wind, water, and ice. And there’s a sculpture gallery that explains more about each type of feature, from hoodoos to half dome.

A Stone Is a Story
by Leslie Barnard Booth; illus. by Marc Martin
40 pages, ages 4-8
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023

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

And it’s an adventure story. Imagine being shot from a volcano, wrenched apart by roots, molded and carved and swept out to sea! This is another take of water, wind, and ice that mold a chunk of rock into something you might tuck in your pocket and take out to tell a story about one day.

What I like about this book: The language is lyrical and captivating, and pulls you under its spell even while it tells a story of geology and the rock cycle. It will make you want to put a pebble in your pocket! Back matter explains rock types (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) along with this challenge:

Now go forth and
do what geologists do!
Step outside, look around, and start asking
questions about the rocks and landscapes
in your part of the world.

I always want to know more about how an author comes to their book. Heather was kind enough to answer One Question:
Me: What made you want to write about erosion as a tool for creating beauty?

Heather: Thanks for the question, Sue! I was first inspired by a look through the Next Generation Science Standards for educational topics to write about. The standards for "Earth's Systems" sent me in the direction of weathering and erosion, and I was able to write a lovely ode to rock formations, based on my own admiration for all things stony. But it was my editor at Lerner/Millbrook, Carol Hinz, who nudged me to include more information about weathering and erosion processes within the manuscript. Incorporating a greater level of detail while still maintaining a spare and lyrical text was a tall order. But I'm delighted with the result, and with the way Carol pushed me to ensure that the book would offer teachers a valuable curriculum tie-in.

Leslie shared her story last winter in this blog post

Beyond the Books:

 
Step outside and look around. What questions do you have about the landscape around you? Write them down. Then find the answers. Our big question one year was how did fossils end up on top of our hill?

Explore a place that nature has sculpted. It might be a rocky shore, or a waterfall, sandy dunes or a canyon. Maybe it’s a weird-shaped hill at the far end of town left behind by the last glacier, or some kettle ponds.

When you visit the ocean or a lake or a mountain, keep a lookout for an interesting stone. Something that tells the story of the place. You might even find a wonderful stone while digging in the garden or looking for frogs down at the local stream.

Heather and Leslie are both members of #STEAMTeam2023. You can find out more about them at their websites, www.heatherkinser.com  and www.lesliebarnardbooth.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers or Edelweiss.

Geology in Action at Fagradalsfjall volcano, Iceland by Leslie Barnard Booth

Most of my ideas for picture books are inspired by questions my children ask. My debut nonfiction picture book, A Stone Is a Story, was inspired by a question my older daughter, then age 7, asked one evening at dinner.

“Where do rocks come from?” 

On its face, this question might seem simple, but it’s not! It led to a fascinating dinnertime conversation about Earth’s formation and structure, the rock cycle, and deep time. In fact, Earth’s rocks have always been here. They have been here since Earth formed. But they don’t stay the same. They are continually transforming. They melt, harden, break apart, and recombine as they move through the rock cycle. 

That’s why it was so wonderful, when, in 2021, I got to see rock transform right before my eyes. 

Summer in Iceland

USGS, public domain

That summer, my family traveled to Iceland for my husband’s work. For 3 months, we lived in a small cabin on a wind-whipped hill along a fjord in northern Iceland. During our stay, we learned that the nearby Fagradalsfjall volcano was erupting – and that it was possible to hike to a nearby ridge to see it in action. 

Known for its geothermal pools and bathing culture, Iceland is one of the most volcanically active places in the world. Iceland sits along a seam in Earth’s crust where two tectonic plates meet. These two plates, the Eurasian Plate and the North American plate, are slowly drifting apart, causing magma to well up between them. This magma sometimes erupts at the surface as lava. We decided that before we made the journey home, we had to see this geological phenomenon firsthand.

Fagradalsfjall 

To view the Fagradalsfjall volcano, we drove several hours to the Reykjanes Peninsula. We parked in a roped-off field among many other vehicles. People from all over the world had come to Iceland to see this natural spectacle, and many different languages swirled around us as we walked toward the stark, treeless mountains looming ahead. Together we marched, locals and tourists, young and old, up a ridge marked with stakes by Icelandic authorities. 

photo of Leslie's older daughter standing at the edge of the Fagradalsfjall lava flow. 

photo by Leslie Barnard Booth

We finally came to a fresh lava flow made up of still-steaming black rock, and we thought we must be close! But after several hours of hiking, we still hadn’t glimpsed the volcano. My daughters were getting tired. The mist had thickened around us. We were damp and cold. We kept hiking up, only to hike down, and then straight up again. We started to wonder if the volcano would even be visible today. Maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe the sky wasn’t clear enough. Maybe this whole torturous trek was in vain!

So we sat. And ate lots of Nutella. My younger daughter seemed to perk up. “Let’s go a little farther,” she said. “To where those people are sitting.” She pointed to some people on a ridge in the distance.

A Rock Is Born

Once again, we hiked down, then up again, toward that distant ridge. That’s when we heard the roar of the volcano, and saw its fiery light flashing through the mist.

Fagradalsfjall volcano. photo by Berserkur/Wikimedia Commons

We made it to the place my younger daughter had pointed out. We sat among people from all over the world, and watched as bright orange lava fountained into the air and poured downslope, scabbing black as it snaked into the valley, where it pooled and steamed and hardened, turning to rock.

As we made our way back down the ridge, my older daughter picked up a rock at the edge of the lava flow. Very recently, this rock had been a liquid. It had been magma flowing deep belowground, then lava surging into the air, and now it was a hard gray fragment she could hold and admire. And just like that, she held in her hand the answer to her question.

Photo Credit: Kristal Passy Photography

Leslie Barnard Booth is a member of STEAM Team 2023. Her book, A Stone Is a Story will hit bookstore shelves next summer.  You can learn more about her book – and find educational resources on the rock cycle and geology – at her website, lesliebarnardbooth.com. 

You can Make a Mountain!

How to Make a Mountain: in Just 9 Simple Steps and Only 100 Million Years! 

by Amy Huntington; illus. by Nancy Lemon 

68 pages; ages 5-8

‎Chronicle Books, 2022

theme: mountains, geology, biodiversity

Let’s make a mountain, a big one with steep cliffs, boulders, streams, and waterfalls.

It’s a big job, but you’re up to it, right? First, we need a rock. Not that one – a bigger one. No, REALLY BIG! And we need some wind and rain, some freezing temperatures, maybe a glacier, then some warming… but most of all we need time. Lots of time. And snacks. You did pack snacks, right? Because we’re going to be here for a while.

What I like about this book: This is such a fun introduction to geomorphology, the study of landforms and landform evolution. Mountain-building certainly falls into that category. I like how Amy Huntington divides her book into nine easy steps, beginning with “crash and crumple” – a great way to describe tectonic plates colliding. There are a number of steps that contribute to weathering the rock and creating soil. Which is a slow process, so she suggests that readers “brainstorm a list of plants” they want on their mountain. 

After adding plants and animals, you might think the job is done. But no, there is one last step: Care. I love that Amy added that last step. Because, although mountains are low-maintenance, they need help keeping the streams clear and the trees healthy.

And then there is back matter! If you’ve made a very tall mountain, you might have alpine meadows. Or maybe you want to add some hiking trails and, if you’ve ever hiked Straight. Up. A. Mountain you know that there are probably better ways to make paths for people to walk. She suggests artistic touches, such as striations, ponds, and vernal pools. Definitely a handy guide for any kid heading out to make mountains out of … well, whatever.

Beyond the Books:

Visit a mountain, preferably one with a trail you can walk up. Most geologists classify a mountain as a landform that rises at least 1,000 feet (300 meters) or more above its surrounding area, so it doesn’t have to be very tall! 

• When you get there, draw a picture of what your mountain looks like. 
• If it doesn’t have a name, give it one. 
• What sort of plants do you see at the bottom of your mountain? 
• What kinds of animals do you see or hear? 
• What does the air feel like? 
• When you get to the top, look at the plants and animals. Do you notice any differences?
• Make a map to show where your mountain is (in case a friend wants to visit it).

Make some mountains. All you need are three towels of different colors, and a friend. Here’s a video about how to do it.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Life on Surtsey

Last week I shared a book about a long, deep hole in the ground - the Grand Canyon - featuring ancient rocks from millions of years ago. Geology, though, isn't just about old rocks.

This week's book features younger stone, rock, and land forms: an island born on November 14, 1963 from the eruption of a volcano. In the ocean. Off the coast of Iceland. 

Life on Surtsey, Iceland's Upstart Island
(Scientists in the Field)
by Loree Griffin Burns
80 pages; ages 10-16
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017

 "For the people who live in Iceland and the kids who grow up here, ice and fire just aren't that unusual," writes Loree Burns. But for everyone else around the world, this was big news. A new island! Scientists were eager to explore it - as soon as it cooled off enough to step foot on.

In this book,  Burns invites us on an adventure of exploration to the shores of an island now just over 50 years old. We meet some of the scientists who have been studying Surtsey since before she was a teenager. Erling Olafsson is one of those scientists who has been keeping an eye on the island's development since the summer of 1970. That was when he joined a small crew to study plants and other life on the island. They found insects, seagulls, plants...things that flew or floated to Surtsey's shores and made a life for themselves.

Through the pages, we join the 2015 expedition and watch scientists at work in the field. They set pitfall traps for insects, and sweep the grasses for flying bugs. Since the island was born, gulls have changed the soil, making it more suitable for plants. Seeds and insects have hitched rides to the island, and life has taken hold. The work is methodical, and it pays off: they find new species of insects!

What I like about this book: it's a marvelous adventure! The photos are gorgeous. In addition to plants, insects, and bird life, Loree introduces us to Icelandic culture, and the alphabet. The back matter is a rich resource, and she includes a section about other recently formed volcanic islands.

Learn more about Iceland here.

Check out this cool video of Surtsey.

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup - Review copy from the publisher.

The Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon
by Jason Chin
56 pages; ages 7-12
Roaring Brook Press, 2017

themes: nonfiction, geology, habitats

Grand Canyon is one of the largest canyons in the world. It is 277 miles long, as much as 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep, but it's much more than just a big hole in the ground.

When I was a kid I walked down into the Grand Canyon. It was winter at the top, snowy and cold. By the time we reached the bottom we'd hiked through nearly 2 billion years (of rock layers) and it was practically summer.

So I like that Jason Chin begins this book with a family camping at the bottom of the canyon. We follow them up, up, up to the top - and along the way we're introduced to plants and animals living at the different zones. And of course, there are the rocks. Layers and layers of sediment of all different colors.

What I like love about this book: Each page is like a field trip. Margin artwork highlights geology notes, or plants and animals found in the canyon. There are spreads that take us back millions of years to when the area was beneath the sea. Condors sail by; red dust coats our hiking shoes.

I love the pages that open out to reveal a panoramic view of the Grand Canyon. And back matter (of course)! There are back notes about early humans in the canyon, as well as notes about the ecological communities (from river level to 8,200+ feet), and lots of notes about geology, fossils, and how canyons are carved. Want to know more? Then check out the books, websites, and other stuff for further exploration.

Beyond the Book:
Check out the Grand Canyon website. You can go on a virtual archeology tour or watch some videos of night sky or other cool canyon stuff.

Enjoy some armchair tourism by viewing these photos from the National Park Service collection.

Go on a (video) river rafting trip.

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup - and we're also joining others over at Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review ARC from the publisher.