If you find a giant diamond, are you as valuable as a giant diamond? A young boy hopes so! His sister “does everything great,” but he himself struggles to do his spelling, remember his homework, and find someone to play with. Even worse, his mother wants him to clean his room! So while his family sleeps, he does what he loves most—rock hunting, with hopes of finding a giant diamond. He thinks that maybe, if he finds a giant diamond, he will be important and valuable.
The boy and his old dog step out the door in rural coastal Maine and the journey begins. He is knowledgeable and curious about his environment, finding all kinds of treasures. As he wanders, we hear about his hopes, his losses, his challenges, and most of all his joy in the natural world.
This story illustrates the inner life of a young boy who has feelings that even older children and adults might find familiar. Don’t we all want to know we’re important and valued? His curious mind, his freedom in nature, and the power of loving relationships lead the way to his most important discovery.
Parents, teachers, and therapists will find this book a gentle and beautiful way to engage children in conversations about their hopes and dreams as well as their losses and struggles. This book beckons children and their parents away from their screens and back into connection with nature.
