MY SPECIAL STONES
by Anne Smith Ledah illustrated by Tai Ledah
A girl discovers crystals in Ledah’s picture book.
A White blond girl returns home after a rough school day. Her mom suggests they explore her collection of healing stones (“They always help me come back to my center and feel grounded if I’m feeling funky”). She tells her daughter to sit with a few favorites and “notice their energies.” She describes the qualities of the girl’s choices. Rose quartz, she says, “supports the feeling of unconditional love and peace.” Her mother explains how “minerals and gemstones are formed inside the earth” and have been used “for thousands of years because of their strength, beauty, healing and protective powers.” That night, the girl bathes in rose quartz–infused water and sleeps with stones under her pillow. She brings an amethyst to school to “keep the negative energies away.” Her friend, a Black boy, shares a treasure of his own; he wears an inherited turquoise belt “for good luck and protection.” At home, the girl tells Mom how the amethyst improved her day. Mentioning relatable real-world examples, from Mom’s diamond ring to decorated armor seen in history books, Ledah provides an accessible introduction to the world of gems, enhanced by detailed, sparkling drawings. The emphasis on historical, scientific, and spiritual properties adds interest (although, while it’s not mentioned here, there is no scientific evidence that stones have healing properties).
A kid-friendly primer to crystals and their properties.