Rocks and Minerals: Geology from Caverns to the Cosmos

Science Comics

by Andy Hirsch

Leave no stone unturned with Andy Hirsch's Science Comics: Rocks and Minerals, the latest volume in First Second's action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers!

In this volume, join a crystal-crazy fanboy and a famous rock hunter on a geological journey that will take them to the summit of a volcano, deep within the earth, and even into outer space! They'll learn about the unstoppable forces that shape our planet and they might even pick up a gemstone or meteorite along the way.

Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic--dinosaurs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, robots, and more! Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these graphic novels are for you!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Science, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Comics, Geology

128 pages, Hardcover

Published October 20, 2020

About the author

Andy Hirsch is a cartoonist living in Dallas, Texas. He is the author and artist of a stack of entries in hit series Science Comics from First Second Books, covering topics from dogs to geology to outer space. His most recent book, Good Boy, follows a mismatched boy and his dog as they overcome obstacles from bar jumps to anxiety dreams in the exciting world of canine sports. His work is consistently selected by the Junior Library Guild and has appeared on the American Library Association's Best Graphic Novels for Children reading list.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Monika Cieplińska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Świetny komiks! Zagadnienia dotyczące geologii wyjaśnione w bardzo przystępny sposób, imo idealne dla dzieci 10+. Mniejsze potrzebowałyby dodatkowego tłumaczenia dorosłego.
Chciałabym cofnąć się w czasie i pokazać takie pozycje ciekawskiej, dziesięcioletniej mnie - wtedy chyba popłakałabym się ze szczęścia. 🥺

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Mrs. Mazzola · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Ala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Komiks popularnonaukowy... Czy jest coś lepszego?

Moja wewnętrzna chęć poznawania świata z tej naukowej strony oraz artystyczna dusza były usatysfakcjonowane.

Kreska jest naprawdę świetna, a kolory robią ogromną robotę.

Dowiedziałam się kilku ciekawostek na temat naszej planety i czuję ogromną chęć dalszej eksploracji...
Jedyne do czego mogłabym się przyczepić to fakt, że czasem miałam momenty, w których chciałam dowiedzieć się więcej, bo średnio rozumiałam.
Mimo to cholernie doceniam ten komiks, gdyż jest tu zawarta duża ilość wiedzy w skondensowanej i tak pięknej formie.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of information in this graphic novel. I learned so much about geology. It was told in a way that was easy to understand but it was overwhelming. I liked the illustrations that added so much to the text making it clearer. Wally wants to learn about geology and Sedona is the one who knows everything so he can't help but follow her around and absorb all her knowledge. As Wally learns, we learn. Rocks have a great legacy that I never knew. They create mountains. They can change with pressure and temperature. Things are happening under the ground, below the surface, that we are unaware of. Interesting, well drawn, clearly explained...this book is a must for anyone interested in geology.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[SamSamSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely learned more from this book than from my community college geology 101 course, so that's great! Geology can be kind of mind-bending and this does a good job of making that information accessible. The storyline wasn't the strongest compared to other Science Comics, so I wasn't locked in and as a result it took me a minute to finish. So overall great content, but missing a strong hook.

[ML Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Text and art were fine. But the framing didn't add anything. Really this felt like when very long info dump. Deep and wide. Trying to include everything and ending up with too much. Not bad, but didn't work as entertainment. And not the right form for reference. Still interesting, but not one of the better ones of these.

[Rebecca Batley · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recognized one of the minerals , pyrite - nicknamed the fools gold because it looks like gold. And I have some. And in the book, one of the characters thought pyrite was actually gold; but when it wasn't gold.

[Nila · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 🪨

[Kaia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent entry in this series. My son wasn't that excited to read this one at first because they learn a lot about rocks at his school, but there was lots of interesting information that neither of us knew. (Plus the story and illustrations are fun.)

[Andréa]

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

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything Science Comics puts out is fantastic!

[David Schwan · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some geologic concepts are explained, and make perfect sense.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

better than the volcano book, but still has too much partially explained information, including vocab words used without explanation

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book full of great educational material!

Read with my daughter for our Rocks & Minerals unit.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 · Rating 3 out of 5]

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