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arielrichardson's review against another edition
5.0
Helen Frost dazzles me every time.
Helen Frost's skill with form would be enough to impress me. But here, as in Keesha's House, Frost also engages with timely, important issues. Crossing Stones tackles issues of war protest, censorship, suffrage, and the cultural pressures to marry and have children. And while touching on all of these issues, it maintains a depth of emotion.
I would suggest reading Frost's afterward on the form first. I think it would have greatly informed my reading, rather than getting it after the fact, and going back to reread.
Highly recommended!
Helen Frost's skill with form would be enough to impress me. But here, as in Keesha's House, Frost also engages with timely, important issues. Crossing Stones tackles issues of war protest, censorship, suffrage, and the cultural pressures to marry and have children. And while touching on all of these issues, it maintains a depth of emotion.
I would suggest reading Frost's afterward on the form first. I think it would have greatly informed my reading, rather than getting it after the fact, and going back to reread.
Highly recommended!
hannahreadslotsofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I’m continuing my historical fiction binge to find the perfect summer reading book for the incoming freshmen and this one is so far my favorite. I really enjoy Helen Frost’s writing and I liked the different perspectives with the poems. I also enjoyed that the perspectives really zeroed in on key aspects that took place from 1917 onward with WWI, the suffragist movement, and the influenza pandemic. I have found that there aren’t a whole lot of books written about WWI, but this one covers the bases and is interesting to read. The reader cares about the characters and wants them to have a happy ending despite all of their challenges, which is what makes this book worthwhile.
suzannedix's review against another edition
5.0
This free-verse story weaves the historical threads of WW1, Women's Suffrage and the Great Influenza outbreak. The chapters alternate between four main characters, each with a different perspective to share. Will awaken an interest in middle school girls to learn more about the suffrage movement.
Grades 6 and up. Beautifully told and crafted into free verse narratives.
Grades 6 and up. Beautifully told and crafted into free verse narratives.
bookishdoll's review against another edition
5.0
This was beautiful and heartbreaking. I loved every second of it.
alexlcriddle's review against another edition
5.0
During the early twentieth century, war threatened to tear the world apart. In this coming-of-age tale set in the 1910s, Muriel, Emma, and Ollie must make choices that will change their lives forever. Muriel has just finished high school, and with her strong sense of independence, must choose between staying with her family or following her beliefs to aid women’s freedoms. Emma seems to believe that the war will quickly pass, but when her brother is enlisted and killed in Europe, she is forced to see her life from a new perspective. Ollie is only sixteen, too young to join the army, but will his devotion to his country allow him to overcome this obstacle? Written in beautiful poetic form, Crossing Stones enlightens the human experience of war through the eyes of teenagers and allows the reader to understand the sacrifices that are involved in making individual choices that affect change in everyone.
I really liked this book. The poetic form was simple and flowed very nicely. It was amazing to see the different perspectives about World War I through so many eyes, especially ones that I think get ignored a lot. Teenagers at that time really did go through a lot and many of them sacrificed their lives, sometimes not even knowing what for. I would definitely use this book in either a history or an English class. I think that the viewpoints about war and the women’s movement would allow students to get a clearer look at what went on at the time. I also think that the poetry and images used throughout would be appealing to those learning about both.
I really liked this book. The poetic form was simple and flowed very nicely. It was amazing to see the different perspectives about World War I through so many eyes, especially ones that I think get ignored a lot. Teenagers at that time really did go through a lot and many of them sacrificed their lives, sometimes not even knowing what for. I would definitely use this book in either a history or an English class. I think that the viewpoints about war and the women’s movement would allow students to get a clearer look at what went on at the time. I also think that the poetry and images used throughout would be appealing to those learning about both.
bethzovko47's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting premise: the story of two close families torn apart by WWI, conveyed through poems. Because of this method, the characters never seem more than sketches, shadows of real people, which makes it difficult to really be invested in them or their lives. I think this would have been better as a novel. The characters were interesting, but needed to be fleshed out in order for this be a really satisfying read.
clarkco's review against another edition
4.0
Verse novel that is also a strong historical novel set during WWI.