This book was an utter delight to read. It introduces the concepts in a simple and age-appropriate manner, perfect for preschoolers and early elementary grades. My 4 year olds have little to no background in geology, but they loved sitting with me and reading, looking at the pictures until the last page. We have read about the top soil before, but beyond that, getting deeper into the book, we found more details about the crust, the mantle and the core. The snippet about Kola Super Borehole had them excited and they asked me so many questions about it. My son was disappointed when I said they have stopped digging the Borehole at the moment. He was all charged up to resume the digging as soon as he was old enough! The detailed and eye catching illustrations only add to the engagement with little one. They were mesmerized to know that our earth's crust and mantle has minerals and more elements in it. When I mentioned mining those elements, their eyes lit up with curiosity. May be this is our sign to get a book about mining. I also like the the book has a lyrical feel to it when read. The sentences flowed one after the other and it didn't feel like I was reading a drab non-fiction packed with trivia. This had a soothing feel so we could do it at bedtime too! This and more makes the book a good addition to a school library for little ones.

What an awesomely interesting way to go about this science! The illustrations were very cool and I think the amount of info per page was perfect. Great job.

Absolutely 10/10 recommend for kids who are interested in earth layers, anyone looking for a gorgeous non-fiction picture book, or any homeschooling family/classroom! We absolutely loved this one and the kids were GLUED to the screen to look at all the pictures. There's plenty of info on each page without being overwhelming (the main "story" and then some extra facts if you want more depth). Earth layers are presented in an easy to follow way and we I loved how the previous layers were labeled on subsequent images, definitely helped my 7yo remember the order. Absolutely will be one that I purchase to add to our homeschool shelves!

Arc from NetGalley

Colourful, factual and engaging - Scratching the Surface gives a comprehensive explanation of the layers of the earth and how scientists learn about places we have not yet reached.

The question and answer format (always a winner!) combined with colourful illustrations that made good use of the space on the page kept the children focused throughout. As homeschoolers, we have used this book as a resource alongside our Earth studies unit and it's not only answered questions but sparked their curiosity - they now want to learn about volcanos and satellites!

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

This book is an interesting look at the scientific method and what we know about earths many layers. I was intrigued and learned a lot about earth with this book.

As a general education teacher I would use this book to teach about the layers of the earth and the scientific methods. I thought the illustrations were nicely done to match the text. I also like how the book had extra facts off to the side.

Inquisitive children with a fascination for science will relish this genuinely educational children's picture book. Kate Allen Fox writes impeccably and will have young minds clamoring to absorb the information she provides along with the story she narrates to entertain her readers. Scratching The Surface is filled with pages of descriptive illustrations to help provide clearer insights and deeper analysis of the information she supplies.

Teachers and children's department librarians should be ordering copies of this book as soon as it becomes available! This is a wonderful accompaniment for educational resources for science class essays and science fair projects. Individual classroom reading time would ideally be filled with young students reading through pages of books such as Scratching the Surface by Kate Allen Fox.

Scratching The Surface explains all about how the earth is composed including the layers and how they are identified. The author provides descriptive analysis of what the earth's layers are composed of, how scientists study each layer and the many wonderful defining characteristics. At the conclusion of this book, the author provides a delightful author's note, a glossary of terms, and a detailed list of the steps of the Scientific Method.

Information were great and illustrations were engaging

Hard to compete with the ever popular The Street Beneath My Feet that boasts a lot of the same information but definitely worth checking out.

A great book to have for the classroom or for those inquisitive minds. Science is something that is constantly changing as we learn more about our planet and this book touches briefly on that subject as it explains the layers of the earth beneath our feet and what we have learned and are still learning.

The book was very informative and kept my son’s interest. It also sparked up a discussion about planets, volcanoes, and the earth. After we were done reading my son continued to talk for a solid 3 hours about different things referenced in the book. The book definitely peaked his imagination, creativity, and desire to learn more about science that he didn’t already know.

Great use of graphics and illustrations to highlight nonfiction material. The cover and diverse representation makes it a title that would be a strong choice for a children's library title.

Normally books that are like this one would be boring and too dense with information to be an effective nonfiction kids' book. However, this is a five-star review so that obviously isn't the case for this specific book. So, then, what was the difference?
This book's *uniqueness*. The central topic of this book isn't one you see often in kids' books. Sure, there's an awful lot of archaeology books and rock books, but none about the layers of the Earth. On top of that (see what I did there?), this book covered more about the Earth's levels than I knew about, and it was fascinating. To me, this indicates that it will be eye-opening and extra interesting to read for little ones. Lastly, the illustrator did a fantastic job of helping readers visualize the information on every page. It's clear that the illustrator and writer worked very hand-in-hand to make a complete and rich book for kids. Bravo!

Kate Allex Fox does a brilliant job with this picture book! There is so much knowledge and facts to absorb in this beautifully illustrated book! The pacing of the text is simple, the facts shared are not overwhelming, and the respective diagrams, along with the richly-colored illustrations by Erin Brown, with so many details, bring the whole book together beautifully! I loved this and learned a lot of new things about the Earth and its crust. There is also an activity page and a glossary to continue discussions about the surface of the Earth!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fox does an amazing job balancing engagement and excitement with accessible facts and supporting information. This balance between gorgeous illustrations and engaging story and factual information helps the two work together and encourage learning. The illustrations are not only striking but really help readers understand complex ideas (such as crust, mantle, etc.). I also love the representation in this book -- there's a Black female scientist in the book, which unfortunately is not the norm. The author also has a great section at the back that includes a glossary, information about the scientific method, and a list of related readings and where the information in the book came from. This is not only so helpful to the reader but also exemplifies the foundational elements of being a scientist. This would not only be a fantastic addition to any public or school library (elementary and secondary) but also a great resource for science teachers at all levels (elementary through secondary). It would also be a great gift for any science/earth lover as well. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Scratching the Surface is an excellent book filled with an abundance of information and colorful illustrations.

Including a lot of factual information about the Earth, while also putting it into perspective with information that children will already know (eg, comparing the earths core temperature to baking cookies). I really enjoyed how the author also mentioned that there’s still a lot we don’t know. There’s a lot of room for children to explore their curiosity, as a lot of the info is surface level to adults.

This charming picture book about what we know - and don't know - about the earth's structure is one I wish I'd had when I was teaching! The illustrations practically force you to pick it up and look inside, and keep those pages turning. Their dramatic colors and variety drew me back several times after I'd finished, just to look at them more closely.

The text gives a simple introduction to the various layers that make up our earth and includes some details that will impress children. Did you realize, for instance, that the crust can reach 750 degrees, twice as hot as an oven baking cookies? That's an idea kids can relate to. I also appreciate the author pointing out that there's a lot we don't know about the earth, and our knowledge is always changing. The fact that scientists strive to learn more, but don't always get the facts right, is important for everyone to realize. And, as this book says, that leaves room for scientists of the future to correct our mistakes and add to our knowledge.

This is a lovely, informative, and useful book that deserves a place in schools, libraries, and homes.

Thank you to Capstone, the author, and NetGalley for making a copy of this available for me to review.

A delightfully informative and fun narrative non-fiction picture book, that takes readers on a scientific exploration through the Earth’s layers.

The lyrical style makes this a brilliant story to read aloud, to ignite curiosity and wonder for children of varying ages. The colourful illustrations beautifully complement the child-friendly explanations, offering something for both younger and older readers.

With many thanks to Capstone, Kate Allen Fox and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC.

This book would be a wonderful gift for any young and curious minds. It would also be a brilliant addition to any school or public library, particularly as a wonderful introduction to Earth science.

I am excited to add this book to our home library!

This book was really fun to dig into (pun intended). I loved the illustrations. I think kids will dig this one as much as I did. Hah! If you ever do an earth science lesson or teach ES, this is perfect and beautiful!

I really enjoyed this book! I think children would be engaged and curious from beginning to end. I thought the facts were pretty interesting. While I read, I was not paying attention to the illustrations because I was so intrigued. I had to go back to get a better look. The illustrations are colorful and fun, while also being informative. I thought they offered a simple visual for young minds. I think this book could be read to younger and older children, and all could gain some something from the illustrations and text. I think the text contains some deeper knowledge, but is simple enough and to the point younger children would understand. Overall, I thought this book was great! I will be adding it to my 2nd grade classroom library!

Thank you Kate Allen Fox and Capstone Editions for for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book! This review was written voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

"Scratching the Surface" was a delight to read from beginning to end, and I was hooked by the line:

"Hidden inside our familiar planet are places unfamiliar and unforgiving, unseen and unsurvivable, unknown...but maybe not unknowable.

The author does a wonderful job of providing scientific facts with the truth that our earth is still very much a mystery. We know certain things to be true, but further scientific research most likely will prove us wrong in many ways. However, because of what we know about the earth, it's core, and the way each part works together to give us life, we have the ability to be human, which also includes making mistakes. The information is somewhat surface level, but leaves a lot of room for curiosity, and is a good introduction text for any young child who shows interest in learning more about what is under the Earth's surface.

This would make a great addition to any classroom/school library, and would be a wonderful supplemental/introductory text for an earth science unit. I will definitely be recommending this to my classroom teachers.