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DK Eyewitness Workbooks
Rocks and Minerals
Have the world in your hands with these compact, affordable, illustrated natural history guides
From malachite to meteorites, leaf through Nature Guide Rocks and Minerals, a beautiful guide profiling the world's specimens.
Part of a new generation of compact natural history guides, Rocks and Minerals is packed full of stunning images that reveal intricate details and unique characteristics of the rocks and minerals featured. Expertly written and including examples from across the globe, these guides will give you knowledge of the natural world at your fingertips.
With a detailed introduction on identifying and classifying minerals and clear sections on each type of rock and mineral, Nature Guide Rocks and Minerals is the ideal identification guide.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1997
23 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,068 books2,084 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 11, 2020
I really enjoyed reading Rocks and Minerals by Ronald Bonewitz because I am interested in rocks and minerals. I learned a lot from this book and I recommend this to anyone that likes or is interested in rocks and minerals.
April 24, 2012
This book can be used for third grade to discuss the difference between a rock and a mineral, noticing the physical aspects of them, and using observations to compare the similarities and differences between them. This book can be used for sorting and counting and also discussing fractions.
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March 26, 2019Took this with me to Denver Nature and Science Gems and Minerals exhibit. Super informative.
November 30, 2025
This book is a real treat for anyone curious about rocks, minerals, or the natural world. It’s packed with beautiful photos, clear layouts, and lots of information.
The first thing you notice is how visually appealing the book is. Every page has high-quality photos that make it easy to compare what you find in nature with what’s in the book. The introduction is friendly and explains the basics, like what minerals are, how rocks form, and how to use things like color, hardness, and luster to identify them.
The book covers a huge range of rocks and minerals, from common ones like quartz and calcite to rare ones like crocoite and lazurite.
The “How the Rock and Mineral Profiles Work” section is very helpful for beginners. It explains what all the symbols and terms mean.
There are practical tips for collecting, cleaning, and storing rocks and minerals, which is great if you’re just starting out.
The photos are not just pretty, they’re useful for identification, showing different shapes, colors, and even how minerals break or shine.
Some mineral entries are quite short. I sometimes wanted more details, like how certain minerals are used or their history.
The book doesn’t just list minerals. It explains the entire rock cycle, showing how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are formed and change over time. There’s even a section on meteorites, with tips on how to tell them apart from earth rocks. This is a cool surprise for collectors and not something you find in every field guide.
Some minerals have fascinating stories. For example, amber is actually fossilized tree resin and sometimes contains ancient insects. Jade can mean two different minerals, jadeite and nephrite which the book explains with clear photos and descriptions.
Many gemstones are just special forms of common minerals. Amethyst is a type of quartz, and both ruby and sapphire are actually forms of corundum. The book makes these connections clear, which is helpful if you’re interested in gems.
The book warns that some minerals, like arsenopyrite or orpiment, are toxic and should be handled with care. This is clearly flagged in the mineral profiles, which is important for anyone collecting samples.
There’s a section on “organics” like pearl, coral, and jet. These aren’t minerals in the strict sense, but they’re included because they’re important in jewelry and natural history. This adds extra value for readers interested in more than just rocks.
Overall, this is a fantastic field guide for anyone interested in rocks and minerals, whether you’re a beginner or have some experience. The photos alone make it worth having, and the information is solid. Just be ready to use the glossary if you’re new to geology. If you want a book that’s both a reference and a source of inspiration for collecting, this is a great choice.
The first thing you notice is how visually appealing the book is. Every page has high-quality photos that make it easy to compare what you find in nature with what’s in the book. The introduction is friendly and explains the basics, like what minerals are, how rocks form, and how to use things like color, hardness, and luster to identify them.
The book covers a huge range of rocks and minerals, from common ones like quartz and calcite to rare ones like crocoite and lazurite.
The “How the Rock and Mineral Profiles Work” section is very helpful for beginners. It explains what all the symbols and terms mean.
There are practical tips for collecting, cleaning, and storing rocks and minerals, which is great if you’re just starting out.
The photos are not just pretty, they’re useful for identification, showing different shapes, colors, and even how minerals break or shine.
Some mineral entries are quite short. I sometimes wanted more details, like how certain minerals are used or their history.
The book doesn’t just list minerals. It explains the entire rock cycle, showing how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are formed and change over time. There’s even a section on meteorites, with tips on how to tell them apart from earth rocks. This is a cool surprise for collectors and not something you find in every field guide.
Some minerals have fascinating stories. For example, amber is actually fossilized tree resin and sometimes contains ancient insects. Jade can mean two different minerals, jadeite and nephrite which the book explains with clear photos and descriptions.
Many gemstones are just special forms of common minerals. Amethyst is a type of quartz, and both ruby and sapphire are actually forms of corundum. The book makes these connections clear, which is helpful if you’re interested in gems.
The book warns that some minerals, like arsenopyrite or orpiment, are toxic and should be handled with care. This is clearly flagged in the mineral profiles, which is important for anyone collecting samples.
There’s a section on “organics” like pearl, coral, and jet. These aren’t minerals in the strict sense, but they’re included because they’re important in jewelry and natural history. This adds extra value for readers interested in more than just rocks.
Overall, this is a fantastic field guide for anyone interested in rocks and minerals, whether you’re a beginner or have some experience. The photos alone make it worth having, and the information is solid. Just be ready to use the glossary if you’re new to geology. If you want a book that’s both a reference and a source of inspiration for collecting, this is a great choice.
September 18, 2024
The design is very late 90s, early 2000s with lots of "fun" text wound around things. Some of it is not very high contrast with the pictures behind/ around it, so can be difficult to see/ read. But the information in this is interesting.
May 26, 2021
Covered a lot, but left out many common crystals.
May 27, 2022
Great book!
April 3, 2024
Love rocks. Love, Rocks.
Want to read
November 18, 2024A
April 23, 2025
Excellent pictures and notes for the intermediate hobbyist.
July 30, 2025
A useful field guide for anyone wishing to make a hobby out of collecting rocks and minerals
December 30, 2015
This was a Christmas present to myself as I browsed the shelves in Barnes and Noble (don't worry, I did come away with gifts for others, too).
As one who has always liked rocks, I finally decided to get more official about my interest. 2016 goal--I intend to take this fascinating guidebook with me as I go rock hunting in future. Maybe then I can actually identity a specimen by something more meaningful than "Ooh! Pretty rock!"
In the meantime, this book is a fascinating, colorful armchair read, too.
As one who has always liked rocks, I finally decided to get more official about my interest. 2016 goal--I intend to take this fascinating guidebook with me as I go rock hunting in future. Maybe then I can actually identity a specimen by something more meaningful than "Ooh! Pretty rock!"
In the meantime, this book is a fascinating, colorful armchair read, too.
January 28, 2008
I absolutly love this book. The pictures are fantastic, the written information is clear and informative without being overly wordy. I like to use this book for a quick reference, and I enjoy using the websites that are provided for further reading.
February 16, 2012
An excellent and thorough introduction to geology. I hadn't realized rocks and minerals are in so many things and transformed into so many other things! My kids loved this one and we used it to look through several of the rocks that we've collected to begin to identify them.
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April 2, 2013S3E1. Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils.
a. Explain the difference between a rock and a mineral.
b. Recognize the physical attributes of rocks and minerals using observation (shape, color, texture), measurement, and simple tests (hardness).
a. Explain the difference between a rock and a mineral.
b. Recognize the physical attributes of rocks and minerals using observation (shape, color, texture), measurement, and simple tests (hardness).
October 9, 2013
this is a great nonfiction book. it lends itself well for kids to read on their own but not great for a read aloud. it includes a table of contents and index. it has captions and amazing pictures. it really helps kids understand more about rocks.
February 11, 2023
Flo has become obsessed with volcanoes and rocks and crystals. We read this together. Lots of colourful pictures for her to look at and lots of information or provide Daddy with the answers to the questions she will ask.
Eadie engaged the second time around.
Eadie engaged the second time around.
August 27, 2010
it is a very nice book
June 8, 2012
Good for beginning research (and people looking for a lil quirky knowledge) and kids. :)
October 16, 2014
Love this. So many pretty pictures! I've always wanted a book like this.
Can't wait to get more Smithsonian books.
Can't wait to get more Smithsonian books.
February 5, 2016
In my search to identify the rocks I find in nature around me, this library book was so helpful that I have already put it in my shopping cart.
October 22, 2017
Factual, lots of boxes and choppy bits of info, but not much by way of identification.
Did not care for the layout.
Did not care for the layout.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews