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What Members Thought
As a verse novel, Crossing Stones tells the coming-of-age story of 4 teenagers who live on adjacent farms connected by crossing stones in a river. Narrated by 3 of the 4 teenagers, Muriel, her brother Ollie, and her best friend Emma, the story is about how WWI and the outside world change these 16 and 18 year olds. Frank, Emma's brother, is the first to leave when he joins the army and is sent to France. During these tumultuous times, Ollie and Muriel's aunt becomes involved in the suffragette
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I didn't appreciate this book fully until I completed it. There are parts I want to re-read to appreciate the structure of the poetry. This is a bit different in that it takes place during WW I (so many others seem to be during WW II or Vietnam), and it's very unique because of the forms of poetry, which are explained in the back of the book. There are several predictable things that happen in the book (after all, it's a book about war), but as I whole, I liked it.
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In Crossing Stones, author Helen Frost has painted a beautiful picture of life during World War 1. Two families, joined as they use stones to cross the creek that separates their farms, share dreams, sorrows, joys, and an unknown future. Just like Spinning Through the Universe, this novel is written in poetic form. Frost explains how she chose a particular style of poetry to coincide with her different characters. I feel this book, along with others such as All the Broken Pieces, Purple Daze, an
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Told in alternating points of view and free verse this is the story of four young people who have grown up together and had thought to spend their entire lives together, but World War I has intervened. A wonderful and heart-breaking story.
This would be a good book for girls in grades 6th and up. I enjoyed it but not as much as Diamond Willow.
I loved how a man could not spell kitchen.
Jan 29, 2010
Mary Ann
marked it as to-read
Mar 15, 2011
Malissa
marked it as to-read
May 02, 2013
Kate Farrell
marked it as to-read
Jun 08, 2015
Kathy
marked it as to-read
