Rocks and Minerals

ANNOTATION

Discusses the differences between rocks and minerals, their formation and composition, how they are mined, how they are used now, and how they may be used in the future.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Visual field guides for the young explorer

Each Eyewitness Explorer is a feast of things to learn and projects to try. A colorful combination of photography and illustration is backed by clear explanatory text that makes new worlds of knowledge available for young readers. Beginning outdoor adventurers will find plenty of things to make or do, such as building a butterfly kite or recording the sights at the seashore. These field guides also teach children to respect the natural world as they play and learn.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Nancy Garhan Attebury

A gem-splattered border frames the cover of this book as well as every two-page section inside. As a part of the series "Science Files," which showcases materials used in every day life, this book recounts information of where rocks and minerals come from, how they are mined and processed, and what they are used for. A concise introduction gets the reader thinking by telling what people did with rocks over a million years ago. Then comes a section defining rocks and minerals and another about "The Rock Cycle," which gives the reader the go ahead to delve further into the book. The mining process and the production of bricks, blocks, cement and concrete come across clearly with flashy photos, crosscut and step-by-step illustrations. Young engineers longing to know how things work or how they are made will reap plenty of entertainment from this book. The explanation about high-tech uses of minerals is impressive. Ecology is emphasized, as it is with all the books from the series. A chart about the three main types of rocks and their uses follows the body of text. A glossary, resource books and web sites, and an index complete the book.

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

This slim book has good introductory information about rocks. It gives some pointers about making and recording observations about rocks and minerals, and it also includes a few activities such a creating your own rock collection, growing a crystal, and making a volcano. It is small enough to be tucked in a backpack or carry-on bag, which makes it a wonderful choice to take on a trip or vacation, especially if the focus is rock hunting, spelunking or a nature walk. The directions for the experiments are not given in great detail, but with the illustrations, kids should be able to carry them out. Part of the "Eyewitness Explorers" series. 1997 (orig.

Children's Literature - Beverly Kobrin