When You Find the Right Rock - Week 3 of the Summer Book Club

Welcome to Week 3 of our Summer Book Club

For the 3rd week of Book Club, we are heading on a rock hunt with a very special book, When You Find the Right Rock written by poet Mary Lyn Ray and illustrated by Felicita Sala. “It’s hard to ignore a rock,” we are told in the beginning of this lyrical love story to special rocks and on every page, Ray shares all the ways that big and small rocks capture our attention and spirit.

As this enchanting book promises, somewhere, a special rock is waiting for you to find it. One just the perfect color or the right shape for drawing a face. A rock that feels good in your pocket and in your hand and makes you feel less alone in the world.

Told through beautiful illustrations and engaging poetic text, When You Find the Right Rock brings readers on a journey of exploration, from the mountains to the sea, that’s filled with mindfulness, connecting with the natural world around you, and the excitement of finding a rock that is just right to call your own.

Day 1: Read and Discuss

On the first day of the book club, read the book out loud together with your children. Take time reading each page and look closely at the lovely illustrations created by Felicita Sala with all of the different layers of texture and colors. Share stories of rock collections and favorite rocky spots.

After reading, discuss the story together. Ask your children if they have any questions, what they found interesting, if there are special things they connect to, and encourage them to share all the things that caught their attention. Taking time to discuss and explore the story allows the reading to sink in more deeply and helps your children remember more details.

Discussion Questions

We've put together a list of questions and specific ideas based on this picture book to prompt your discussions:

1. Do you have a rock collection? What are the top things that draw you to your just right rocks? 

2. The author talks about big rocks "that invite you to know them and see where you are." What is the boggest rock you have ever climbed or seen? (Mountains count!)

Day 2: Writing and Drawing Prompt

Day Two of our Summer Book Club invites children to revisit the story and explore it in new ways. Whether through drawing, writing, or imaginative play, this is a chance for them to retell and reflect on the narrative using their own words and creativity. Some children may even enjoy acting out the story, adding their own twist or creating a mini performance.

If your child is drawn to writing or art, consider setting up a cozy spot with pencils, crayons, paper, and the book itself nearby. Having these materials within reach can spark inspiration and deepen their engagement with the story.

Writing Prompt

For this book, we created the following prompt to spark their writing adventures:

Based on this line from the book, "But then one will surprise you- like when you notice something special about you that surprises you," write about what is your 'something special.' You can expand this by imagining you are a perfect rock. What would the qualities be that make someone want to pick you up and put you in their pocket?

Drawing Prompt

For this book, we created the following prompt to spark their drawing adventures: Go on a walk and draw all the rocks you can find.

Find the Types of Rocks printout HERE.

Day 3: Paired Craft

Story stones are a collection of stones painted with key story elements on them, for  example the ones we created; a butterfly, an owl, an acorn, a mushroom, and a bunny. The more pictures you paint, the more elaborate your story will be. Combining each picture will allow you to tell a unique story each time that you play with the stones. But the first step is finding the right rocks!

Materials Needed

• River stones
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Sealant (optional)

Instructions

Step 1:

Collect your materials. Go on a trip to a local river, forest or lake and see what stones you can collect.

Step 2:

Paint a white layer on the face of your stones to give yourself a wonderful canvas to work on.

Step 3:

Paint your background color.

Step 4:

Paint a darker frame around your base color.

Step 5:

Optional - painted a stitch pattern around the edge to give your stones a sewn look.

Step 6:

Paint your characters!

Step 7:

Optional - seal your wonderful artwork with a sealant to keep your work safe for years to come.

Step 8:

See how many stories you can create with your new stones.

From all of us at the Bella Luna Toys Team, we hope you have many days filled with crafts, love, and fresh cups of tea! Tag us in your adventures @bellalunatoys for a chance to be featured!