I’m Trying to Love Rocks; by Bethany Barton (review)

Barton (author of I’m Trying to Love Spiders, BCCB 10/15) returns to nudge skeptical kids to adopt—or at least consider—a new enthusiasm. Unlike spiders, which can be scary, the psychological obstacle rocks must overcome is, frankly, their strong reputation for being boring. “Hmmm,” says the narrator. “It turns out rocks don’t really do much. Maybe we should poke it? . . . It’s still not doing anything. Welp, that didn’t work. Maybe the next book will be better. THE END.” Not so fast, though. A dark-skinned, curly-coifed rock lover takes on the narrator with a fully engaged and engaging lecture on all the ways geology is amazing—volcanoes!, diamonds!, fossils!—and firmly tamps down any snarky narrator comment to the contrary. Correct scientific vocabulary and plenty of diagrams make this curriculum ready, while several opportunities for a little tactile (if make believe) interaction with the rocks will appeal to viewers taking this on in a smaller setting. Endpapers offer tacit congratulation to listeners who actually moved the needle on their human/rock relationship, with an assortment of specimens in front labeled “rock” and the same specimens labeled by specific name in the back.