A Chip Off The Old Block

Are you going on a road trip? Would you like to help introduce your children to different types of rock formations and natural landmarks?

Check out A Chip Off the Old Block written by Jody Jensen Shaffer and illustrated by Daniel Miyares. I loved this book, because it combines factual information with a valuable lesson about building character and finding your place in the world despite various challenges.

Rocky is a sweet likable pebble who can’t find his place in the world. He comes from a long line of famous rock formation relatives named Uncle Gibraltar, Aunt Etna, and Great-Grandma Half Dome that are just some of the legendary rock formations he calls family. He is a little pebble but he has big ideas! How can he find some way to be important and really matter? What he discovers at the end of the story, is that you can find your place in the most unexpected ways. This is a book about celebrating a child’s unique qualities and a person’s determination to succeed. Even though Rocky had many challenges throughout the story, he never gave up until he found where he belonged. He also proved that even though he was small, his persistence was larger than life!

Language Tips: As you reading A Chip Off the Old Block, define words that may be unfamiliar to your child. Discuss the different types of rocks at the end with the outstanding traits. What makes one rock different from another? Define the difference between a mountain and a volcano. This book is also fun of puns, which can be a language activity in itself.

A Chip Off the Old Block is a book that would be perfect to be read over and over because of the different types of information both factual and non-factual. If you haven’t visited many national parks, your child may be unfamiliar with these landmarks but take the opportunity to teach them through pictures online or short videos. To check out more fun activities with rocks, check out these activity by Teach Junkie.

A Chip Off the Old Block