A Pocket Full of Rocks
by Kristin Mahoney; illus. by E. B. Goodale
Primary    Knopf    40 pp.
1/25    9780593428542    $18.99
Library ed.  9780593428559    $21.99
e-book ed.  9780593428566    $10.99

Throughout the year, a child collects various objects from nature, finding comfort and creative inspiration in them. This endearing account begins in winter when the protagonist collects rocks. Deftly employing a second-person narration (“You can do a lot with a pocket full of rocks”), Mahoney introduces a pattern she follows throughout the book. The kid’s parents and sister express skepticism, but the youngster pays them no mind. After all, these stones make perfect chairs for the fairies living in the child’s imagination. In the ensuing sequences, the child pockets flower petals in spring, shells in summer, and acorns in autumn. The story has an effective cumulative quality to it as the protagonist places the objects into a jar at the end of each season. Mahoney carries the narrative to a satisfying resolution when the young one repurposes the finds as special gifts for each family member. Goodale’s striking mixed-media illustrations perfectly convey the child’s curiosity about worlds both natural and fantastical, as well as evoking the essence of each season. In a playful touch, Goodale often gives readers a see-through view inside pockets. A quiet yet vibrant celebration of nature, art, imagination, and individuality.

From the March/April 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.