What Can You Do with a Rock?

By Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Katie Kath
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2021
Picture book, 36 pages, ages 4-8

What can you do with a rock? A lot, as it turns out!

Exploring the outdoors and on a trip to the beach, a blue-haired girl kicks rocks, skips rocks, collects rocks, sorts and studies them … and maybe even finds a new friend to share them with.

A joyful exploration of one of childhood’s favorite things: rocks. 

Back matter includes more information about – you guessed it! – rocks.

If your kid loves rocks, they’ll like this book. Full of fun facts, a smattering of science, and encouraging creativity and play, it will appeal to budding collectors and little geologists.

Pat Zietlow Miller’s lively text paired with Katie Kath’s charmingly diverse watercolor illustrations makes for an engaging read. It is busy, though – sometimes it feels like too much is crammed onto a page, which is why this isn’t a 5-star book for me. However, I’m a less-is-more person. If you’re a more-is-more person, you’ll probably love that it’s full of rocks, words, and details. What is a negative for me would be a positive for you.

What Can You Do With a Rock? could easily be used by teachers and homeschoolers to supplement learning. Librarians might find it helpful when planning storytimes or library activities. It would also make an excellent gift for a bookish rock lover.

It’s a solid book.

What Can You Do With A Rock? By Pat Zietlow Miller gets 4.5 stars from this reviewer.