Review: The Mineral Book by David McQueen

Special thanks to New Leaf Publishing for providing a review copy of this book.

Munchkin loves science. Her favorite subjects are biology and geology as they are the basis for her paleontology studies. She was rather excited when The Mineral Book (affiliate link) arrived in the mail. In fact, it quickly disappeared as she decided that she had first dibs on reading the new book. It did not disappoint.

Like other books in the newly revamped Wonders of Creation series, The Mineral Book features 3 different skill levels. It starts with introductory material on level one, expands into more detail in level 2, and sparks a real-life passion for mineral collecting in level 3. With each step up in levels readers are given more in-depth knowledge, vocabulary, and hands-on activities geared towards the increased understanding that comes with deeper study into the topic. All levels are based on a biblical, scientific viewpoint.

Each chapter highlights a new mineral while digging into different aspects of minerals as a whole. Topics covered include:

Where do we find minerals?
What is a mineral?
How do I identify a mineral?
Discovering minerals in the Bible.
A world of valuable minerals.
Minerals and creation science.
Minerals and the lordship of Jesus.
Building a mineral collection.

Some of the minerals covered in the chapter mineral focus include: salt, amethyst, biotite mica, jasper, diamond, stibnite, and gold. These particular minerals aren’t the only minerals covered, but they are covered in-depth during the level-two introduction. This introduction includes its name, chemical formula, crystal system, hardness, luster, streak, where it is found, what it is used for, an a biblical passage that relates to the mineral. These are not the only minerals covered in the book. In fact, the book includes a mineral identification guide at the back of the book with beautiful pictures as well as the periodic table of elements.

There is a good chance that if you have a child who is interested in geology, they may want to start their own mineral collection. Chapter 8 is a guide to starting that mineral collection. It details what is needed to get started collecting minerals. It even gives an alternative to physical mineral collecting – a photo mineral collection.

The Mineral Book is another excellent book in the Wonders of Creation series.

Book Description:

The Mineral Book is a part of the best-selling Wonders of Creation Series! It has been developed for multi-level teaching, with special color-coding on three skill levels. This educational resource is filled with full-color pictures and illustrations, and can be used in the classroom, for independent study, or homeschool settings.

Salt, one vital mineral, helps maintain the fluid in our blood cells and is used to transmit information in our nerves and muscles. Also, Jesus told his followers that we are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), something thus needed for health and flavor. Here is a God-honoring book that reveals the first mention of minerals in the Bible, symbolic usages, their current values in culture and society, and their mention in heaven.

About the Author:

David R. McQueen was trained in mineralogy at the University of Tennessee (BA in geology) and at the University of Michigan (MS in geology). McQueen taught college geology at George Mason University, Virginia State University, East Tennessee State University, and the Institute for Creation Research’s Graduate School.

Book Details: