SOLVED. Children's or YA/young adult, set in France, young girl finds a stone figure that turns out to be an important archaeological find. [s]

[David]

I read this book in the early 1980s while living in Northampton, MA, so it's likely I checked it out from the Forbes Library.

The story was about a young girl in France who finds a small stone figure in a cave (I think). I believe she put it in the pocket of her pinafore, which leads to her mother discovering it while washing the pinafore.

Someone recognizes the figure as unusual and it turns out to be an important archaeological find.

That's as much as I can remember right now.

[Kris]

David, is this a fiction or non-fiction book? If there are illustrations, can you describe them?

[David]

Sorry, I think it was fiction but there could have been some basis in history. I can’t recall if there are illustrations, though, aside from the cover. I think the cover had a little girl in a pinafore and maybe a drawing of the stone “doll”.

[Kris]

A long, long shot - Adventure of the Stone Man by Frances Hamerstrom?

www.worldcat.org - "Two French children [brother and sister] try to keep the secret of their cave from the outside world and from a scientist searching for a rare eagle owl."

Here's one cover image - https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Tp4AAO...

[David]

Wow.. that could be it. I’ll have to order a copy. If it is, I really misremembered!

[Kate]

David, be sure to let us know if you have found your book. We crave closure!

[David]

Thank you! That was the book!

[Kris]

Wow, the long, long shot wins. It pays to guess.