10 Fascinating Rocks and Minerals Books for Ages 3 to 12

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

This beautiful narrative nonfiction picture book tells the life story of a rock. It opens a window onto the truly fascinating history that each rock reveals. It is a reminder to honor and encourage a child’s natural sense of wonder. Perfect for children ages 4-8.

Colorful, engaging, informative, and a sure winner for children ages 6-9. This book builds upon the idea that every rock has a story of “where it comes from and what adventures it’s had along the way.” It gets into specifics about how studying rocks is like opening a time capsule of our planet. This book will nurture a child’s curiosity as they learn the fascinating stories of a variety of rocks.

The elegant illustrations draw you in, and the informative text keeps you engaged. The book tells the story of a variety of rocks, and although it is written for ages 3-8, the use of cursive font probably makes it best suited to read with an adult. This book is part of the lovely series called the Family Treasure Nature Series.

This fun, funny, and informative book will capture the attention of even the non-science-loving kids. But it also has enough information to keep an avid rock collector engaged. The speech bubbles, diagrams, and bold print are sure to keep all readers captivated. This book is part of the “I’m Trying to Love…” series, geared toward readers ages 4-8. It would make a great read aloud, either one to one or in the classroom.

The bold, colorful cover will appeal to many readers. The close-up photographs comparing two different rocks and minerals are like visual candy and will appeal to the youngest readers. The simple, rhyming text offers minimal information. It is not until the end of the book that more substantial information is provided. This is a great beginner book and is appropriate for ages 3-7.

Even though the National Geographic book includes “little kids” in the title, it is packed with information sure to appeal to any rock enthusiast. This book covers a lot of ground (including a chapter on shells) but the use of colorful photographs, fact boxes, and interactive questions make it easily digestible. This is the type of book a child will pick up over and over and find a new and interesting fact each time. It is recommended for ages 4-8.

In true National Geographic Kids style, this book has bright colors, bold photographs, and a layout that includes fact boxes, diagrams, and more in-depth text. There is a good amount of information about rock formation and history. The book also delves deeper into specific types of rocks and minerals, how to identify them, and how they are used. It is a well organized resource for the casual browser or a budding geologist. Perfect for ages 9-13.

My Book of Rocks and Minerals by Dr. Devin Dennie
This book is a nice visual reference book chock full of information. The large illustrations and easy-to-read text make it a great resource for both beginning and expert rockhounds, ages 5-9. It gives tips on rock hunting and collecting. It also has specific details on how to identify a wide variety of rocks and minerals.

This extensive handbook is perfect for anyone ages 7 to adult who is passionate about rocks and minerals. It is loaded with information, photos, and sections for note-taking. It includes information about getting started as a collector and tips on how to organize your collection. The binding allows the book to lie flat, which helps when trying to examine a rock and take notes.

This is another substantial handbook with photographs and descriptions of over 500 rocks and minerals. It is organized alphabetically in two sections, one for rocks and one for minerals. The format may pose a challenge for young collectors who are trying to identify a specimen. They would need to know the name of the specimen they are looking for or flip through the pages hoping to find a match. Anyone ages 7-12 interested in accumulating knowledge about a multitude of rocks and minerals would love this reference book.