ALA Booklist (Thu May 01 00:00:00 CDT 1997)

for use with adults. Kids will immediately be caught by the idea that, the oldest things you can collect are rocks. This simple geology book goes on to discuss the formation, hardness, types, and uses of rock. The coverage is cursory, yet it is sufficiently engaging to hold the interest of a young audience. Keller's illustrations, line drawings with watercolor washes, work well in showing the cross-sections of earth and volcanoes. Two children appear in many of the scenes, exploring a Roman road, finding fossils, mixing cement, and collecting rocks to store in boxes and egg cartons. A few pages feature photographs, allowing more realistic views of various rock types. Another good introductory book from the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out series. (Reviewed May 15, 1997)

Horn Book (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1997)

Unoriginal in content and riddled with factual errors and overstated simplifications, the text randomly describes various rocks and minerals. Errors include improper use of terminology and misleading discussions of the formation of various rock types. Dark and poorly labeled color photographs are coupled with clear illustrations of a boy and girl collecting rocks.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Much of the first chapter of this book is spent recounting background information from the three previous series entries. Once the story takes off, however, it flows quickly as Sally and her friend Thalia are chosen to compete with the Tarent Pony Club team in the Junior One-Day Event. Many setbacks occur before the actual day, including a dismal practice with the haughty and experienced Haxton Pony Club team that shatters Sally's confidence. In addition to the central horse-show plot, two dogs have special significance. Sally's elderly bearded collie has serious heart trouble and the girl's concentration suffers in school and during riding practice for she fears the dog will die. In addition, a silver-white hound mysteriously appears and Sally is sure he is a good luck sign. When he is accused of attacking a child, Sally feels that he has been wrongly judged and is determined to save him. The suspense of the team's selection and the detailed descriptions of the event's activities will hold horse enthusiasts' attention. And since the dogs add an extra dimension to the plot, the book will be popular with many young animal lovers.-Betty Teague, Blythe Academy of Languages, Greenville, SC