Perfect Picture Book Friday: A STONE IS A STORY Plus Giveaway

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! What a fabulous story we are featuring today…it’s everything we could wish for in a picture book – entertaining, educational, and inspiring, with well-written text and glorious illustrations. And there will be one lucky winner of a copy…so please make sure you leave a comment and share the post on social media.

A STONE IS A STORY

Written by Leslie Barnard Booth

Illustrated by Marc Martin

Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books (October 3, 2023)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Rocks, STEM

Synopsis: From Amazon:
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.

“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.

Why I Love This Book:
1. I love stories that present information in a beautiful and accessible way for kids.
2. I love the sparse beautiful language of this story.
3. I love the simple yet bold illustrations that will capture every child’s attention.

I know that many of us wonder where authors get their ideas for stories…discovering that can help all of us be on the alert for similar opportunities. And happily, author Leslie stopped by to share what inspired her to write this story.

LESLIE: A Stone Is a Story was inspired by a question my daughter asked one evening at the dinner table: “Where do rocks come from?” This started a fascinating conversation that continued into the coming weeks. It turns out, stones aren’t as simple as they seem, and the more I read about rocks, landscapes, and geology, the more I wanted to know. As I researched the rock cycle, I learned that over long time scales, rocks aren’t inert; they are dynamic and ever-changing! So I set out to write a book that follows a rock over hundreds of millions of years as it forms and transforms—becoming an object that can offer insight into Earth’s deep past.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:
MAKE SOME ROCK CRAFTS

Photo courtesy: https://funfamilycrafts.com/rock-crafts-for-kids/

WOW…here are dozens of craft activities for kids using rocks…I hope you try a few: https://funfamilycrafts.com/rock-crafts-for-kids/


Here’s a little bit about Leslie and where you can connect with her:
Leslie Barnard Booth is an author, educator, and freelance writer with roots in the Pacific Northwest. Her nonfiction picture book debut, A Stone Is a Story, releases on October 3rd with Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry Books, to be followed by One Day This Tree Will Fall in 2024. Leslie lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves exploring the natural world with her family.
Visit her at lesliebarnardbooth.com
Instagram @lesliebarnardbooth.books 
Twitter @LBB_books
Preferred sales order links:
Available wherever books are sold!
Get signed and personalized pre-orders at Annie Bloom’s Books
Bookshop
Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Please remember that the way to lift up authors and illustrators is to buy their books, review their books, put their books on your WANT TO READ shelf on Goodreads, tell friends about the books, and ask local libraries to purchase copies. Did you know there are over 17,000 libraries in the U.S. alone?

And don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of A STONE IS A STORY. (U.S. addresses only, please)
Thank you all for spending your precious moments with us. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

50 thoughts on “Perfect Picture Book Friday: A STONE IS A STORY Plus Giveaway

  1. Right now I’m looking at a glittery stone I picked up hiking on Mount Washington last week. In fact, I collect stones everywhere I go from all over the world. I absolutely must read this book!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. This book sounds incredible! I still comb beaches for rocks, including Petoskey Stones along Lake Michigan. My mom has a framed craft I made using rocks and driftwood hanging in her house. I glued the rocks in the shape of a flower to the driftwood and wrote a Mother’s Day poem to accompany it. Loved seeing the rocks crafts!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Oh, I can’t wait to read this one! I’ve become such a rockhound, living in Michigan, with it’s Petoskey stones and pudding stones, etc. I’m forever picking up new ones and bringing them home 🙂 Congrats on your debut, Leslie. Marc’s cover is phenomenal.

    Liked by 1 person

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