If Rocks Could Sing: Leslie McGuirk
February 08, 2012
Book: If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet
Author: Leslie McGuirk
Pages: 48
Age Range: 3-8
If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet is a creative and memorable alphabet book. Leslie McGuirk, over many years, collected rocks shaped like letters of the alphabet (mostly from Florida beaches). She also collected rocks shaped like objects that start with each letter. In If Rocks Could Sing, McGuirk brings together photos of the collected rocks, to bring the alphabet to rock-shaped life for kids. The results are delightful.
McGuirk pairs the rocks with other objects as needed, so that each letter tells a little story. For example, the "b is for bird" page shows a bird-shaped rock and an egg-shaped rock in a bird's nest. With a b-shaped rock at the top of the page, of course. She sometimes makes relatively ordinary choices (like "i is for igloo"), but more often has amusing and unconventional selections. Like "c is for couch potato" (with a potato-shaped rock lying on a little couch), or "k is for kick" (with a foot-shaped rock pointing at an orange ball). And who would think that one could use rocks to show "j is for joy"?
If Rocks Could Sing is the very essence of kid-friendly education. The pairings are memorable enough, and amusing enough, that If Rocks Could Sing doesn't feel like a book that's trying to teach them something at all. I imagine that this book will inspire kids to look for interesting shapes in rocks wherever they go (especially on the beach).
If Rocks Could Sing is a unique and entertaining book, and a clear labor of love on the part of the author. Recommended for home and school use, for kids age 3 and up.
Publisher: Tricycle Press (@RandomHouseKids)
Publication Date: May 24, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher
Nominated for 2011 Cybils in Fiction Picture Books by: Karin Lackmann
Reviewed by: morninglightmama | Natalia | rebeccareid
© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).