Rocks and Minerals: Geology from Caverns to the Cosmos by Andy Hirsch

Rocks and Minerals: Geology from Caverns to the Cosmos Reviews

• 
  Sarah

  I read this with my 7 year-old son over the course of about a week.
  He currently says he will be a geologist when he grows up and this book was super informative! I could probably read it a couple more times and just retain something new each read through-its so jam packed with information.
  He really liked it and says he wants to read it again already!
• 
  Erin

  It did an admirable job of creating excitement over a frankly fairly boring subject matter.
• 
  Mrs. Mazzola

  Another great entry in the Science Comics series. This time it's a rollicking, action-packed, and fun introduction to various geology concepts, that travels all over the universe. Perfect for fans of the series, or for those kids that really love earth science and are ready to move past the picture books about gems. Overall, the book rocks!
  
  Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to review.
• 
  Cris Edwards

  Another good comic in the Science Comics series [I previously read the Crows one]. This one has less of a story than the one I read before; it's more of a geologist hammering information at her apprentice, a young boy who is interested in rocks. This book is packed with great and thorough information and lovely artwork, but it's hard to not read it as just a firehose of facts. It seems like more than a comic book needs to cover in one volume. Either way, anyone interested in geology will find it a wealth of introductory learning in a thin book.
• 
  Amber

  Such a fun way to learn about rocks and minerals. The illustrations/cartoons are adorable and make learning fun and easy.
• 
  Roger

  Engrossing and captivating, extensive educational content!
  
  Easy to read as a comic, scientific and technical information on the formation of minerals and rocks can be assimilated very well. The content is very integrative and educational: from the big bang and the appearance of the first subparticles that formed the pure elements, through supernovae, elements of higher molecular weight, the formation of planets, and from here we continue with Earth, science geology, continental drift, volcanology, the types of wheathering and erosion, types of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, speaks a bit of paleontology, including speleology mentioning stalactites and stalagmites…. And all the information is interwoven in a pleasant and captivating comic book comic, in a logical and very clear, integrative and digestible sequence. Without realizing it, you have learned about a large number of scientific disciplines, data and extended information on the subject. It is indeed a magnificent book, very complete, for children and adolescents, even very entertaining for adults.
  
  My sincere appreciation to the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review the book
• 
  Shawn

  An introduction to geology in comic book form!
  A young boy has questions for a female geologist about a rock he has found... and he wants to be her assistant. She uses the one rock (which turns out to be a meteorite) to teach him about geology from the origins of the universe to rock types to how the age of a rock is determined.
  This comic is jam packed with science and would serve as a fun introduction to geology or a quick review. The level is aimed at about midlife school, but wild be a fun read for people if any age.
  
  Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of this book.
• 
  Elizabeth

  Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
  OH MY GOSH I LOVED THIS BOOK. In part because one of the main characters reminded me of a friend and that in itself brought me so much joy. However, the best part is the fact this book makes the science of geology SO MUCH FUN! All the explanations are clear and the reader never feels like they are being talked down to. The illustrations help clarify all the different types of rocks and the information provided as well as adding to the story of Wally wanting to be Sedona's field assistant. I HIGHLY recommend this book- and the Science Comic series.
• 
  Ellon

  This book had A LOT of information in it. I feel like Hirsch tried to simplify it for the younger audience but, even with my background knowledge on the subject, I found myself getting overwhelmed and lost with some of the info dumps within the book. I enjoyed the illustrations. They were bright and welcoming. I liked that there were words in orange that were found in the glossary (although these words were also defined in the text so you didn't really need to flip to the glossary). But yea, just a whole lot to process in this short graphic novel.
• 
  Annamarie Carlson (she, her)

  Another volume in the ever-popular Science Comics series, this time following a kid and a famous geologist as they explore everything to do with rocks, minerals, crystals, caves, the earth's core, outer space, and more.
  
  I really appreciate this series for making often complex topics approachable and entertaining. The density of the writing can vary depending the particular topic and author, but this book is approachable enough that it would work well for grades 3 and up.
• 
  CEB Library

  A broad explanation of many geology concepts, this book combines Ms. Frizzle and Indiana Jones to create the great mentor Sedona. As she travels around the globe, demonstrating time passage and world creation, her trusty sidekick is always energetic and excitable. Recommended for adventure seekers and rock enthusiasts.
• 
  Alli

  My 5-year-old son and I LOVED this book! I love that the book is educational, engaging, has beautiful illustrations, and a cute story to go along with it. It was even a nice refresher for me since it's been about a decade since I studied geology. We will definitely be checking out more of these books.
• 
  Zabcia

  80%
  
  I love rocks, but I've always struggled to remember the details of their makings. As a visual learner, this book was a great fix! My only complaint is that I wish it had gone beyond the basics and included a bit more on minerals - for example, the growth patterns of crystals and what affects their shapes/properties.
• 
  Rebecca Batley

  My son loves these science comics, as do my students. They are brilliantly written, informative and great at engaging children with different subjects. I will use this in the classroom and library. Highly recommend.
• 
  Sesana

  Really informative about a lot of aspects of geology, from plate tectonics to caves. The narrator, a geologist explaining the science to an excited amateur, is fun. Not sure how many kids will love this one, since a lot of geology isn't terribly exciting, but I liked it.
• 
  Nila

  Cocok untuk dibaca bersama dengan seri Volcano. Ilmunya dapet banget. Kisahnya mengalir dengan baik bersamaan dengan penyampaian ilmunya. Dari komik ini aku jadi tau penasaran dengan situs geologi yang ada disekitarku. Ga nyangka Indonesia punya Karangsambung yang sangat unik 🪨
• 
  Andréa

  Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
• 
  David Schwan

  The second book in the series I've read. Bought this for my grandson and am reading it before I send it to him (I also sent a copy to my nieces). I've done some reading of current geology books. A fun look into geology.
• 
  Melody

  Some geologic concepts are explained, and make perfect sense.
• 
  Linda

  better than the volcano book, but still has too much partially explained information, including vocab words used without explanation
• 
  Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit)

  What a fun book full of great educational material!
  
  Read with my daughter for our Rocks & Minerals unit.
• 
  Rose

  Wish this series had been around when I was a kid. But I'm getting a lot out of them now as an adult!
• 
  Mrs.Melaugh Melaugh

  A lot of information -- perfect for middle school rock lovers!
• 
  Jenn Marshall

  I love Science Comics so much. So when I heard they were doing a rock one, which is one of my favorite topics I was so excited. This book was everything I hoped it would be. It talks about how rocks are made. It covers the earth's crust, volcanos, earthquakes, types of rocks. It was a fun interesting book and I learned a lot.
  
  The main story is about a kid who wants to be a geologist assistant so he follows her around as she teaches things. The art is cute, I continue to be a fan of Science Comics.
• 
  Sara

  Read more graphic novel reviews at
  www.graphiclibrary.org.
  
  In Rocks and Minerals, Wally is trying to prove he can be a worthy assistant to geologist Sedona. He brings her a rock sample, and this starts Sedona down the path of describing where rocks and minerals come from, starting with the Big Bang. Sedona then covers the different layers of the earth, plate tectonics, volcanos, caverns, minerals, and so much more. ​There is a lot of great information for the budding geologist or rock hound, and I really liked the inclusion of a glossary of terms that are highlighted in orange throughout the book.
  
  As a once-hopeful geologist, I gravitated to wards this title as my introduction to the Science Comic line, and I am glad I picked it up. However, I felt that this book would have benefitted from some chapters, something to break up the topics and allow for time to digest what was learned. There are a lot of really visual yet abstract topics in geology - like plate tectonics, for one - so I felt natural stopping points would have helped.
  
  An illustration of a dark smoke cloud billowing towards the sky, with the text that reads,
  There’s also a statement about coal being better left in the ground that I imagine won’t sit too well with anyone from that industry, but truth hurts sometimes.
  
  I felt that Wally was absolutely hysterical. Many science-y comics use the story structure of mentor-pouring-knowledge-into-mentee's-head, but Wally also added a lot of funny moments and commentary to the story, so he wasn't the normal doe-eyed sponge I've seen in other comics. Adding in the fear of caves for Sedona made her a human instead of just a fact recitation machine.
  
  The artwork in this has a cartoony element, but it is absolutely fitting. The coloring is beautiful and bright, and some of the illustrations of the different rock formations and minerals reminds me what I liked about them as a kid.
  
  Sara's Rating: 9/10
  Suitability Level: Grades 3-8
• 
  Becky B

  An introduction to geology through the premise of a kid taking a rock he has found to a geologist named Sedona. Sedona gives the boy a lesson on where his rock came from in the form of evolutionary theory of how the Earth formed, theory of the inner layers of the Earth, how rocks form in the rock cycle, types of rocks, weathering methods, plate tectonics, etc.
  
  This is a much more engaging way to learn things like the rock cycle and weathering methods than a textbook. The point of the book is to inform, so the plot takes a big back seat to the science, but the illustrations are in an engaging style and the plot premise does allow for things to be explained in ways a preteen or teen would easily grasp. And the graphic novel format means kids are WAY more likely to pick this book up than any other book on geology. There is a lot of information in here. Like, I took a geology class for a quarter in college, and this condenses into 130 pages ¾ of what we covered in that class. There were some new things in here I’d never heard before, evidently they figured out the gravity of the moon has an impact on the weathering of rocks since I was in college or I taught science, that’s definitely one I’ve never heard before. This would be a great resource for middle school Earth science classes and high school geology classes, and of course, kids who love graphic novels and those who are insatiably curious will be quick to pick it up.
  
  I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.