Three Stone Woman

by Glo Coalson, Freeda Goodwin

A poor widow begging food from her brother-in-law and his wife is given a bag with three stones.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1971

About the author

Glo Coalson grew up in Abilene, Texas, and currently lives in Dallas. For nearly a year, she lived with her brother and his wife in Kotzbue, Alaska, an Eskimo village.

-www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com

Reviews

[Graywaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book in the used book basket at my local magical bookstore and immediately scooped it up despite it's somewhat battered condition. I was intrigued by the stark illustrations and mythology it contained. The story is simple and straight forward. It feels very authentically recorded from what the author was told during her stay in Kotzebue, Alaska with the Eskimo people and I admire her endeavor to preserve part of their culture. The illustrations are noted as being in the strong contrast tradition of the Eskimos as well. They are completely black and white with a brevity of brush strokes. Sometimes it's a bit of a treasure hunt to find the recognizable forms, but I love the use of positive and negative space and the way things are represented, especially the traditional clothing of the characters. The only color you'll find in the book is the blue text, which reinforces the snow and cold the tale revolves around.

I'm very happy that I found this book and it will always have a treasured place on my children's book and favorite illustrations shelf. However, I think this book would be lost on today's child, used to the bright, colorful, and spelled out illustrations and stories of our modern times, but it is definitely a gem for artists and adults who can appreciate it. If, that is, you can locate a copy.