It's a Bird, It's a Duck ...

You can’t always bring kids to the crags, but you can bring the crags to your kids with Animals Rock! ($16.95, amazon.com). This super-cool children’s book is filled with photos from around America of uniquely shaped rock formations, all resembling animals. Look at the photos, read the rhymes, and then guess at the beasties — the accompanying “answer-key” illustrations reveal which city, state, or national park is home to each. Not only will the book unleash kids’ imaginations, it will also spark a stone love that should have them clamoring for a climbing road trip with the family.

—Kristin Bjornsen