I did not think Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave was going to be interesting when I first saw the cover (though it is due in March of 2025, I was able to have an online reader copy.) Being overly cute and cartoonish, I was eh… but also thought that I should not judge a book by its cover and give Drew Beckmeyer’s book a chance. And I’m glad I did, and you should too. I recommend going to your local independent bookstore and preorder copies.
How do you make earth science fun? You get Beckmyeryer’s book. It is a fun and clever way of talking about the changes of the earth through the “eyes” of a stalactite and stalagmite. The two holler up and down to each other, talking about the creatures that come to see them (from tiny sea creatures, to sloths to dinosaurs). We see the outside of the cave as “pretty lights” and fire and storms and weather changes. We hear it is cold, hot and finally about the strange two leggers. And we are even given a possible hint at what the future might look like (what the outside the cave world and inside the cave world might be like). All the science is done so it is accessible and fun for most ages. Things are not too complicated but we are not lacking. There are even a few extras at the end to round things out. Granted, sometimes the writing was a little jumpy (but that might just be a personal taste thing) which I could overlook because I was learning things, too (like what happens when the top and bottom mites meet in the middle). And yes, the illustrations are still a bit too cartoonish for my personal tastes but work for the aimed ages and allow it to be an overall fun science book.