Stone by Stone: A Rock's Journey Through Time

Changed by billions of years and shaped by human hands, the stones that make up our homes, roadways, buildings, and bridges are a part of our story. Earth's story.

From ancient cairns to castles, from the Great Wall of China to Maya cities, the stone structures we build tell us who we are, what we value, what we fear, and who we want to be. The story begins deep below the Earth's surface. All those stones start with a rock.

Stone by Stone invites readers to consider how geology, engineering, and human history connect. The book opens with a striking and dramatic description of the rock cycle before delving into the many ways humans have used stones across history to rebuild, reconnect, and reimagine our place on Earth.

Melissa Koch's lyrical language takes readers on a journey through the world's stone structures, highlighting the human side of science. Victoria Tentler-Krylov's art vibrates with energy, capturing the fire of the earth and the spirit of invention that lives inside all of us.

Robust back matter includes more information on the rock cycle, engineering, and stone usage throughout history, as well as a timeline, bibliography, and list of resources.

Author: Melissa Koch
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 08/04/2026
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.99lbs
Size: 11.13h x 8.55w x 0.42d
ISBN: 9780823456734
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 05/01/2026 pg. 92
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2026
Publishers Weekly 05/25/2026
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 07/01/2026
Booklist 08/01/2026
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001

About the Author
Melissa Koch writes nonfiction children's books that focus on making science and social justice personal and valuable to kids. For YA readers, Melissa has written 3D Printing: The Revolution in Personalized Manufacturing and Forest Talk: How Trees Communicate. She has also designed award-winning learning technologies and out-of-school learning experiences that encourage women and youth from diverse backgrounds to pursue their dreams in STEM. Stone by Stone is Melissa's debut picture book. She lives with her family in an old house with a solid stone foundation in a small Iowa town surrounded by limestone bluffs.

Victoria Tentler-Krylov is a trained and practicing architect, as well as a children's and editorial illustrator, who grew up in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and studied architecture and urban design at Cooper Union and Columbia University. Books she's illustrated for children include The Cyclops of Central Park, for which she was named an Ezra Jack Keats Award Honoree, and I'm Gonna Paint, for which she received the Silver Medal at the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show and was named a Bologna Children's Illustration Winner. Her art has also been published in the New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and The Boston Globe. Victoria lives in New Jersey with her family.