The Picture Book Buzz - Interview w/Kristin Mahoney, EB Goodale, and Review of A Pocket Full of Rocks
Kristin Mahoney is an author of books for young readers. She grew up in a small town in North Carolina and eventually moved to Brooklyn. Now she lives in New Jersey with her husband, two daughters, and a goofy dog.
She is the author of Elfie Unperfect (2021), The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School (2019), and Annie's Life in Lists (2018).
Her debut picture book, A Pocket Full of Rocks, was released January 28th.
Kristin, thank you so much for stopping by to talk about your debut picture book and writing.
Thank you for inviting me! I always love talking about children’s books.
Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write? How long have you been writing? What is your favorite type of book to write?)
Like many authors I know, I’ve been writing for most of my life. Before I even knew how to write words, my mom would “take dictation” and write down the stories I made up to tell her. I’ve now been writing children’s books for publication for about ten years; I finished the manuscript for my first book, Annie’s Life in Lists, in 2016.
I don’t know if I have a favorite type of book to write! When I write middle grade novels, I definitely can get lost in the main character’s world for a while, and that’s pretty cool. But really, the same thing happens with picture books (just for a shorter amount of time!).
On a good writing day, I sit and write at a little table by a window in my bedroom. There’s a nice view of my neighborhood, and it’s a good daydreaming spot (so much of writing is daydreaming!). But I’ll admit I’m not as disciplined as I should be. I also work as a reading teacher (another job that I love), and during the school year, I don’t always get as much writing time as I’d like.
Your writing table sounds wonderful. Who was your favorite author, illustrator, and/or your favorite book as a child?
I had a lot, but two that come to mind right away are Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary. (One of my friends recently met Judy Blume at her bookstore in Florida and I was so jealous…but it’s probably best that I never meet her, because I think I would completely lose my cool!)
Some of my favorite middle grade books (in addition to the ones by those authors) were Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor and Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.
And two of my very favorite picture books were Ox Cart Man by Donald Hall and When the Sky is Like Lace by Elinor Lander Horwitz. Both of those books were illustrated by the legendary Barbara Cooney, and they’re beautiful. As soon as I open them, I’m transported back to my childhood. (And I got to grow up and read them to my own daughters.)
I love discovering "new-to-me" books. Thanks for highlighting these two books and this talented illustrator. What was your inspiration for A Pocket Full of Rocks?
My daughters are teenagers now, but when they were small, they would always fill their pockets with little things they found when they were playing. These could be beads or tiny toys or objects from nature like rocks, sticks, acorns, petals, or seashells. I would often find them as I was doing the laundry. It struck me that even though these items might not seem very important to adults, they really were treasures to my kids, and each one represented a moment of wonder they had experienced.
What a great way to look at it! I'm afraid the rocks & shells in the laundry come from my own pockets. I want to be like my grandmother and never outgrow the wonder and discovery of rocks and shells. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript?
My actual writing locations are pretty ordinary (my house or a local library). But one of the best places I know for daydreaming (which, as I mentioned, is a big part of writing) is a train. I once took a train from New York to North Carolina for a friend’s wedding after a snowstorm canceled my flight, and it allowed for some of the best daydreaming of my adult life. Every time I’m on a long train trip, I look out the window, listen to music, and try to shut the world out so I can pay close attention to my imagination.
Oh, what a great place to daydream! What's something you want your readers to know about A Pocket Full of Rocks?
After reading this book, I hope my young readers will have a sense that someone else in the world understands the importance of the little things they treasure. And I hope the grownups who read to them will be reminded of this too. Even though I’ve been the mom who feels exasperated at the pile of rocks in the laundry basket, I’ve also been the kid who collected those rocks in her pockets. One of the great things about writing for children is that you get to ponder both perspectives.
That's so very true. Did anything surprise or amaze you when you first got to see E. B. Goodale’s illustrations? What is your favorite spread?
Everything amazed me when I first saw E.B. Goodale’s illustrations! They are stunning, and it was one of the coolest experiences of my life as an author, seeing how the world I imagined could be brought to life by such a gifted illustrator. She added depth that made the story so much more than it was in text alone (The gorgeous textures! The characters’ subtle little gestures! The fairy baby who grows throughout the story!). I definitely used the word “swooning” more than once when I responded to my editor about E.B.’s work!
Text © Kristin Mahoney, 2025. Image © E.B. Goodale, 2025.
I don’t know that I have one favorite spread, but fall has always been my favorite season, so the gorgeous spread with the falling leaves when the main character is putting shells in the jar definitely grabbed me the first time I saw it.
The perspective is so interesting, and I love all the various types of falling leaves. What was the hardest, or most challenging, part of writing A Pocket Full of Rocks? What was the most fun part?
The most challenging part was probably the pace of creation…publishing is often a very slow process, and several years passed between writing and publication. But seeing the finished product, I now know it was worth the wait!
The most fun part has been showing it to my little nephews, Simon and Felix. I dedicated the book to them and got to show it to them for the first time at Christmas; that was really neat.
Oh, what a Christmas present for you all! Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
I’m working on a couple of different new middle grade novels (drafting one and revising another). I can’t say much more about them right now because they’re both in pretty early stages, but hopefully I’ll have more news soon!
We'll have to keep our eyes open for them. What is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?
Acadia NP Woodcock Trail, Cape May © Sue Fajgier
This is a great question! Two of my favorite places in nature are Acadia National Park in Maine and the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey. I’ve had wonderful family vacations in both places, and those memories contribute to my love for them. I also have special places in my heart for Prospect Park in Brooklyn and the South Mountain Reservation and Meadowland Park in New Jersey. Lots of rocks, acorns, petals, and seashells to be found across these parks!
So many wonderful places to spend time in nature! Last question, what is the best advice you’ve ever gotten - whether it’s regarding writing/ illustrating or not ?
One idea that returns to my consciousness over and over again is something I learned in my graduate-school education program, and that’s the concept of wait time. As a new teacher, I learned how important it is to give students time to respond or think of an answer. Our impulse is often to fill a silence and keep speaking when someone doesn’t answer right away. But allowing “wait time” is so important, not just for teachers, but also for parents, friends, and really anyone trying to connect with their fellow humans. I think we could all stand to be more patient and better listeners, and allowing for wait time helps a lot with that.
Great advice. Thank you Kristin for stopping by to share with us your debut picture book.
It was my pleasure; thank you for inviting me!
To find out more about Kristin Mahoney, or to contact her:
Website: https://kristinmahoneybooks.com/
Email: kristinmmahoney@gmail.com
Review of A Pocket Full of Rocks
An empowering and touching picture book debut about the wonders and treasures that a creative, curious, and imaginative child can find in nature.
A Pocket Full of Rocks
Author: Kristin Mahoney
Illustrator: E. B. Goodale
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (2025)
Ages: 3-7
Themes:
Nature's treasures, seasons, exploration, creativity, and caring.
Synopsis:
A sweet and soulful celebration of how a child's imagination can transform ordinary objects into extraordinary treasures.
You can do a lot with a pocket full of rocks...
Rocks make excellent chairs for fairies, they are perfect for writing your name on the sidewalk, or just to hold in your hand when you need reassurance. And so the rocks pile up... Until the season turns and you need to make room for pockets full of petals. And shells. And acorns! Each season's treasure is kept and curated and loved, until it's time to give the treasures away and make room for new things to come.
A Pocket Full of Rocks showcases how a creative child can see big possibilities in the smallest things. It's about noticing, collecting, appreciating, and sharing the wonders around us every day.
Opening lines:
You can do a lot with a pocket full of rocks.
What I LOVED about this book:
Beginning with a child happily and peacefully collecting rocks on a winter day, this sweet story moves through a seasonal framework, highlighting the child's joy in finding many marvelous treasures in nature. Written in the second person and following a consistent pattern, the child explores collections which can be made within a pocket and the many uses of these items. By the way, I love E.B. Goodale's creation of transparent pockets enabling the reader to participate in making the collections.
Text © Kristin Mahoney, 2025. Image © E.B. Goodale, 2025.
Although each new discovery also contains a trio of negative, or unencouraging comments from the child's family, they don't dampen the child's conviction of the preciousness of each discovery. Unfazed, the child knows their discoveries are all far from ordinary. After all rocks can be "chairs for fairies to rest on,"
Text © Kristin Mahoney, 2025. Image © E.B. Goodale, 2025.
This is one of my favorite illustrations! I love the imagination and the creativity infused in the fairies. And the fact that only the youngest family member can see them. Highlighting that magic exists in the world if you are observant and curious. We also learn that rocks can be used like chalk or be something reassuringly "gathered and solid and cool."
Using a wonderful refrain, Kristin Mahoney shifts seasons and sets up new discoveries. "But then spring comes and you need to make room for something new." Setting the rocks into a clear jar, opens the child's pocket to petals. The gorgeous illustration of the child under a tree or bush bursting with flowers and raining petals, is heightened by the child's serene face as they place petals into their pocket.
The format of exploring the uses of petals for fairies, as something practical, and a means of self-soothing through touch is repeated with shells in the summer and acorns in the fall. Each treasured laid into the jar as the next season begins and a new pocket collection is made. Then, as the ending heads toward a full circle, with the arrival of winter, there's a magnanimous, creative, and touching moment. This is a beautiful ode to nature, creativity, self-confidence, and imagination.
Resources:
do you have something from nature you like to collect? Is there a certain time or place where you find these treasures? What do you do with your collection?
using your current collection, or a new one, try some fun nature and rock crafts with the items you found.
do you have something you keep in your pocket or that you keep nearby to help when you're worried, bored, or anxious?
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