Every rock you see tells a story about the Earth. Glassy black rocks mark moments when the Earth's liquid insides spilled out onto its surface. Gritty, sandy rocks are the dead skin of the Earth, shed after years of wind and rain. Twisted, sparkly rocks formed deep in the bellies of mountains. In ""Rocks and Minerals"", young readers will learn how to read the 'story' of a rock by examining its mineral makeup and how to identify minerals by their color, shape, shine, special powers, and even taste. Students can then use their knowledge of rocks and minerals to understand how the Earth works.