Crossing Stones

Bibliography

Frost, Helen. 2009. Crossing Stones. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books ISBN-13: 978-0-374-31653-2

Plot Summary

Four teens experience school, war and the women's suffrage movement during World War I. 

Critical Analysis

Crossing Stones is a wonderfully written novel in verse perfect for young adults to read while learning about World War I because of its intriguing plot lines and interesting arrangement of an almost diary-like format. Readers will find the characters easy to relate to and the arrangement of the words on the page supportive to the story. Frost uses typography to create a formal structure that gives "the sense of stepping from stone to stone across a flowing creek." Each character's poems are formed in a different way that represents their personality. Headstrong Muriel, whose mother says is more inclined to rock the boat than a cradle, has a more free style of poem that "represents the creek flowing over the stones as it pushes against the banks." Emma and Ollie's poems are "cupped-hand sonnets" which compliment each other. 

Crossing Stones is a great novel to get young adults acquainted with various types of poetry while introducing them to the historical events of WWI and how they effected people their age personally.   

Review Excerpts

“This beautifully written, gently told story can be used for classroom discussion in social studies and English, or simply for leisure reading.” —VOYA

“Frost’s warmly sentimental novel covers a lot of political, social, and geographical ground . . . . But this is Muriel’s story, and her determined personality and independence will resonate with readers.” —School Library Journal

Connections

*Have young adults write poems that create a shape that represents what their poem is about. 

*Compare Muriel's, Ollie's, Frank's, and Emma's poems side by side. Discuss the differences in form and rhyme scheme.