A Pocket Full of Rocks

by Kristin Mahoney, E.B. Goodale (Illustrator)

A sweet and soulful celebration of how a child's imagination can transform ordinary objects into extraordinary treasures.

You can do a lot with a pocket full of rocks...

Rocks make excellent chairs for fairies, they are perfect for writing your name on the sidewalk, or just to hold in your hand when you need reassurance. And so the rocks pile up... Until the season turns and you need to make room for pockets full of petals. And shells. And acorns! Each season's treasure is kept and curated and loved, until it's time to give the treasures away and make room for new things to come.

A Pocket Full of Rocks showcases how a creative child can see big possibilities in the smallest things. It's about noticing, collecting, appreciating, and sharing the wonders around us every day.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Family, Fairies, Fiction, Environment

40 pages, Hardcover

Published January 28, 2025

About the author

Kristin Mahoney is the author of Annie's Life in Lists, about a girl who moves from Brooklyn to a small town in the country. Kristin herself grew up in a small town in North Carolina, and eventually moved to Brooklyn. Now she lives in New Jersey with her family, where she makes lots of lists about groceries, writing ideas, and karaoke songs she'd like to sing.

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book just made me feel so cosy and in touch with the wistfulness of youth. A must read for those who love the magic of nature!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful book encapsulates how quickly ordinary, small objects can become whole worlds in the hands of a kid with imagination. Adorable seasonal imagery, alongside gentle repeating prose, show how rocks can be chairs for fairies, flowers are the perfect ingredient in perfume, and acorns are just the thing to keep in a pocket to touch when a child needs reassurance. A lovely read for any season.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pocket Full of Rocks is an absolute delight! A heartwarming tribute to the simple joys of childhood and the magic found in seasonal treasures. This story follows a young collector and their growing collection of nature treasures, including acorns, rocks, shells, and petals, this story captures the excitement, curiosity, and boundless imagination that turn ordinary objects into extraordinary keepsakes. Through gentle storytelling, the book encourages young readers to look closely at the world around them, finding beauty in the seemingly mundane. It reminds us all of the value of slowing down and noticing.

The illustrations are vibrant and whimsical, bursting with color and detail that perfectly capture the energy and spirit of a child’s perspective. Each page is a playful invitation to explore, dream, and create. This story is an inspiring launchpad for imaginative play and outdoor explorations. Ideal for sparking curiosity and connecting kids with nature, this book is a treasure in itself. A perfect read for anyone who remembers the thrill of finding the perfect rock. Highly recommended!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quiet picture book about an imaginative little collector of nature's treasures. In the winter, the child collects rocks, then petals in the spring, seashells in the summer, and acorns in the fall. Each season's harvest first goes into pockets. Later some are saved and arranged in layers in a big jar while others are given to fairies. Finally, the jar is emptied to be given as Christmas gifts. The petals are put into a bag so the mother can put them in her bottom drawer to enjoy the scent. The father is given a bowl of shells so he can hear the ocean and tiny pictures are painted on the acorns for the sister. The child gives seven rocks to the fairies to use as sleds and others to go back into a pocket, "gathered and solid and cool." A lovely book to read and share before a nature walk.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story about a boy who keeps different items in his pockets during different seasons of the year and how he turns them into special items for his family, friends and the fairies! It’s beautifully written and illustrated, appropriate for kids 3 and up. Overall, would rate it 4/5 stars ⭐️

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, funny, and touching. Mahoney's voice is new and refreshing. If I still presented preschool programs I know that I'd constantly use this book.

[Megan Litwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rocks, petals, shells, acorns…this wonderfully sweet book shows us that you can do a lot with a pocket full of treasures. It perfectly captures the wonder and magic and creativity of childhood! I love it for the language, the artwork, and also for all the possibilities and connections that lie within for readers, parents, and educators.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderful! It was such a sweet story and reminded me of my childhood.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say this book is perfect for anyone who has ever collected random objects that some might view as strange. Sometimes, collections give us peace, help us navigate the world around us, help us stay grounded when the world feels so, so much. I used to collect rocks on the playground, shells on the beach and now I collect movie tickets whenever I can. This book is a reminder that something trivial might be worth saving because that thing can be a piece of chalk to write out your name, a little shell fence for a fairy or simply, a fidget in your pocket. If it brings comfort to you and those around you, who cares what anyone else thinks?

Mia’s Year of Books: Day 345

[Maren · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unnamed child collects a pocked full of treasure in each season. Their family naysay at every turn, but they know their fairy friends will put the treasures to good use, and it also just fun to collect stuff.

I love a book that's just a love letter to a completely child-like habit of childhood. I also love a book around the seasons. I found these illustrations really maximal and messy in a very pleasing way. They all just communicated the seasons very clearly and the strongest illustrations were def the ones in fairy world. I love when kidlit can reflect that sometimes the truest, most alive times are those when you are alone in the woods. Even tho the family scenes are all clearly loving, healthy, securely attached hetero nuclear family time like.. the main little kid is still picked on by every single member of their family for their collecting and it's beautiful to see the illustrations hit a fortissimo and the main child's eyes light up with awe during their alone time. The main kid's face kind of reminds me of that completely unhinged precursor to Cocomelon, Boobah, but in a not unpleasant way.

I writing I found a tiiiiiny bit on the side of just, like, utilitarian, but i think I was just let down by the delicioussss rhythm and repeated short o sounds of the first page: "You can do a lot with a pocket full of rocks", and those kinds of flourishes weren't carried throughout the story.

despite being back at work I feel that i still have covid brain to a major degree so this is possibly incomprehensible BUT it beats writing promotional emails to school principals (cringe face emoji)

[Emma Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly sweet, evocative picture book! It will make parents smile as they think of their own kids' passions for collecting small objects, but it's equally appealing to kids, with some gentle action and adorable illustrations of fairies. The writing is so lovely and lyrical, yet at the same time, down-to-earth and un-fussy.

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dreamy circle story pays tribute to the collector in all of us. An unnamed child moves through the seasons (the story told through 2nd person voice), stowing away souvenirs in their pockets while the text unfolds in a gently repeated pattern. The child gathers (sequentially rocks, petals, shells, and finally acorns) and their family (Mom, Dad, and a sister) can’t help but throw in their two cents on the activity: won’t fit in the suitcase, might have bugs, nothing special, and so on. But the child’s imagination and ingenuity triumph as they fashion the acorn tops into fairy hats or use the stones to draw on the sidewalk. At the end of the year, each set of objects transforms into a gift for a family member. Throughout this sweet story, Mahoney imbues each set of objects with unique sensorial details that will help young readers connect to the child – the stones “are just there in your pocket when you need something to touch, gathered and solid and cool” while the petals are “like a secret, mysterious and quiet and soft.” Goodale’s art, created with oil paint, pencil, and crayon pairs perfectly with the text, showing us a very outdoorsy family with brown skin and black hair, pursuing seasonal activities such as leaf raking, gardening, and trick-or-treating. She mostly creates large, two page spreads but includes the occasional vignette, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the collection setting before zooming in close on individual objects. As long as humans have had pockets, they have enjoyed scooping up things to put in them – it’s a universal pastime that all children will recognize. Having an unnamed and ungendered child will allow more kids to see themselves in the story. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With its lovely, quite unique illustrations, created with monoprint, oil paint, watercolor, crayon, and Photoshop, this picture book is sure to make parents smile as well as reassure those youngsters who gravitate to collecting various objects. They might be pinecones, acorns, leaves, string, wrappers, stamps, even buttons or seashells. Some collections might seem odd or make no sense to those who behold them, but they are important to their collectors. In this picture book [3.5 for me!] In this picture book a young boy collects things that others might consider quite ordinary: rocks, flower petals, seashells, and acorns. Seeing their value even though his family doesn't, he places them in his pocket to use in important ways; for instance, acorns as hats for the fairies or rocks as slides for them. As each season passes, he later places his finds in his special jar, leaving room in his pocket for whatever else he might collect. Notably, he even finds comfort and security in touching the finds in his pocket as he goes about his day. For some, all this stuff is disposable, but for the young boy, these are treasures and inspirations for his creative mind.

[Hannah Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple story about a little boy who collects different treasures in his pocket throughout the seasons, despite his family's critiques, and uses them for various magical, childish purposes. I wanted to love this more than I do as the idea is charming and we enjoy nature. However, some of the illustrations seemed too... simplistic, perhaps, and I think I would have preferred the little boy use his treasures in some type of creative play rather than the whole fairy storyline. Not that I have anything against fairies! But this particular story otherwise reads as very grounded and realistic, so a different story thread may have served it better. Also, these particular fairies are chubby little naked baby things that creep me out a little, so that may also influence my opinion (lol). Jury is still out on how the toddler feels; if she decides she loves it before we return it to the library, I will update.

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a welcome surprise. We see a boy who collects things like rocks and shells in his pocket. His family always has a reason for him not too, but each season he collects something.

We find out late that he uses them for Fairies. Rocks are chairs for fairies and shells are fences. Once the year is over, he takes his collection and makes them into thoughtful gifts for his family. If you look on the back of the book, there is a fairy, but you can't tell by the front of the cover. I love to be surprised with fairies in the story. Hurray.

The artwork was disappointing. The fairies looked bland and I don't know, artwork about nature was pretty bland. No my favorite. The artwork is: oilpaint, monoprint, watercolor, crayon, collage and photoshop.

Kids who love nature will love this and Fairies too.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good change of pace for a book about the seasons. Rocks are collected in winter. Petals in spring. Shells in summer. Acorns in fall. Then back to winter. The fairies enjoy them all and the boy finds comfort in the different collections in his pocket. Throughout the year he uses his collections to gift the fairies in their fairy circle. Rocks for chairs. Petals for clothes. At the end of the year he takes the leftovers from his collection and creates gifts for his sometimes not so encouraging family members. How would you use your collections?

Under the cover - the cover of the book is quite different from the dust jacket. It incorporates the fairies found in the book.

I thought it was interesting that the author was inspired by the things found in the pockets of her daughters.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

About the many fun things you can do with rocks, petals, shells, and acorns. I still can't resist shells, acorns, or petals I find to this day. (I'm getting a bit better about rocks. ☺️)

The little boy was adorable. The way he used his imagination, be it acorn hats for fairies or making something sweet for his mom...

However, his family was rude about his collecting, even his parents. I didn't like that?

I also... wasn't sure about the fairies. Naked little blob-ish things. In one picture two were kissing, and I grew even more confused about them. Why not give them clothes? more definable features?

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

All small kids like to collect stuff and put them in their pockets, or carry them around, or make collections of special things. This book captures that activity and sense of wonder perfectly. A child collects different objects from nature as the seasons pass, each time putting the old object into a jar for safe keeping. I love that all kids can relate to this story, and parents will find the statements at the beginning of each season to be funny as well. A good ST read for seasons.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers see what this young child collects and keeps in their pocket. First, it is rocks in the winter; then flower petals in the spring followed by shells in the summer and acorns in the fall. The child explains why they keep these items even when the rest of their family is skeptical. The gentle tone captures the joy and innocence of childhood. I appreciate the child's imagination. Readers will relate to this and share their own collections.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical picture book with many layers: as the seasons pass, a young boy gathers treasures from all around: smooth rocks, flower petals, sea shells, and little acorns. A sweet picture book that will resonate with kids everywhere who fill their pockets with found treasures and then, one by one, give them away.

Themes: nature
Ages: preK-2nd grade+
Pub year: 2025

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it)

I liked everything about this except the naked fairies. Just wish they had some clothes. I really liked how the story goes through the seasons and circles back by the end. I like how the child is seen using the rocks, petals, etc as a comfort when things are overwhelming.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a gentle, imaginative book that celebrates the collector of petals, rocks, and seashells and the quiet, introspective one who appreciates the possibilities of the smallest parts of nature. It's a little word-heavy, so it was a better fit for my second grader than my preschooler, but we enjoyed it!

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Divided into four parts we see how a young boy fills his pockets with things found in nature throughout the seasons (rocks, petals, seashells and acorns). Each item is used in imaginary and practical ways. It will give young readers ideas for starting their own collections and using the items in creative ways.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful story celebrates the sensibility of a child who will grow up to be a poet someday: one who reveres creation, observes the unseen, practices loving kindness, engages in creative expression, creates art with found objects, enjoys solitude, listens deeply. Thoughtful illustrations follow the child through the seasons of growing awareness with such elan and elegance.

[Jazmin Holdiness · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and the meaning it holds. It shows a lot of growth and resilience, which helped to make the story come to life. The rocks are more than just rocks, they show what emotional baggage can be carried, and how to overcome your past. Rather than viewing the rocks in a negative manner, they're later on viewed as a positive way to live your life.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relatable book about the time honored tradition of collection nature finds in your pockets. This story takes the reader through the seasons as a little kid fills his pockets with rocks, acorns, petals, etc. Cute and nice pictures.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

The young boy of this story and I have two common interests, rocks and shells. However, I was not found if the story, it didn’t flow well for me to consider reading it aloud.
The illustrations by themselves I would give three or four stars as the colors are great and I love the nature scenes.

[Emily Haage · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can do a lot with a pocket full of rocks.

A curious child observes the world around them and transforms everyday objects in nature (rocks, petals, seashells, acorns) into treasures with hints of magic.

Sweet look at a family through the seasons.

[Holly Wagner · Rating 2 out of 5]

A seasons book about all the things you might collect. I really liked the fairies. But I didn't love the illustrations. This is a good example of authors writing books with material from their lives. It reads like a "year in the life of my family".

[Kaitlyn (ktxx22) Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was adorable! What a surprise when the fairies showed up on the page! Such a whimsical story and it reminded me of when my Mamaw would tell me tales of fairies and David the gnome. Definitely one I will happily purchase for our collection and enjoyment.