asterionsiren's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jsjammersmith's review
5.0
I'm floored, dude. Jimmy Liao has written a heart-breaking, yet reaffirming story about the beauty of the natural world and the inner soul and heart of the inanimate objects which are ever around us. Following the life of a blue stone taken from it's home in the forest, the reader watches as the stone wishes always to find it's way home slowly being worn away by the people that find it and turn it into whatever they need or want it to be.
The Blue Stone almost had me in tears it was so beautiful. Readers are sure to find a bit of their soul in the story of a rock possessed by a simple desire: it wants to find it's other half and find it's way home.
The Blue Stone almost had me in tears it was so beautiful. Readers are sure to find a bit of their soul in the story of a rock possessed by a simple desire: it wants to find it's other half and find it's way home.
tashrow's review
5.0
A blue stone is resting for thousands of years in a forest, until humans come and split it in two. The half that is carried out of the forest longs for its other half. The stone is made into one sculpture after another. Each time deep emotion is felt around the stone, it breaks a little, remembering what it has lost. With every breakage, it becomes smaller and smaller, going from huge sculptures to a small piece of jewelry. Eventually, the stone becomes small enough to lift into the air and float back to its beloved forest and its other half.
Liao's illustrations are glowingly colored and deeply felt. The use of blue for the stone is perfect, especially when it hides below other colors in the sculpture, non the match for the intensity and beauty of the stone itself. The text is rhythmic and repeating the refrain of breaking and changing and continuing. The tie to life's passage and loss is inherent to the book. Children will understand it immediately even though nothing is firmly stated except in the subtitle.
This is a gentle winner, not to be shared with a rowdy group. Rather, it is the perfect book for introspective moments. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
Liao's illustrations are glowingly colored and deeply felt. The use of blue for the stone is perfect, especially when it hides below other colors in the sculpture, non the match for the intensity and beauty of the stone itself. The text is rhythmic and repeating the refrain of breaking and changing and continuing. The tie to life's passage and loss is inherent to the book. Children will understand it immediately even though nothing is firmly stated except in the subtitle.
This is a gentle winner, not to be shared with a rowdy group. Rather, it is the perfect book for introspective moments. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
rovertoak's review
5.0
I certainly was not ready to be as moved by this as I actually was. I read this at the request of a colleague who always likes to share unique picture books with me (I then get to share YA books with her!). This beautiful blue stone is so peaceful, but humans must possess beautiful things, thus beginning the stone's sad journey.
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