Crossing Stones - by Helen Frost (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Written in beautifully structured verse, Helen Frost's Crossing Stones captures nine months in the lives of two resilient families struggling to stay together and cross carefully, stone by stone, into a changing world.

Maybe you won't rock a cradle, Muriel.
Some women seem to prefer to rock the boat.

Eighteen-year-old Muriel Jorgensen lives on one side of Crabapple Creek. Her family's closest friends, the Normans, live on the other. For as long as Muriel can remember, the families' lives have been intertwined, connected by the crossing stones that span the water. But now that Frank Norman--who Muriel is just beginning to think might be more than a friend--has enlisted to fight in World War I and her brother, Ollie, has lied about his age to join him, the future is uncertain.

As Muriel tends to things at home with the help of Frank's sister, Emma, she becomes more and more fascinated by the women's suffrage movement, but she is surrounded by people who advise her to keep her opinions to herself. How can she find a way to care for those she loves while still remaining true to who she is?

Review Quotes

"The distinct voices of the characters lend immediacy and crispness to a story of young people forced to grow up too fast." --Starred, Horn Book

"Frost skillfully pulls her characters back from stereotype with their poignant, private, individual voices and nuanced questions, which will hit home with contemporary teens, about how to recover from loss and build a joyful, rewarding future in an unsettled world." --Starred, Booklist

"With care and precision, Frost deftly turns plainspoken conversations and the internal monologues of her characters into stunning poems that combine to present three unique and thoughtful perspectives on war, family, love and loss. Heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful, this is one to savor." --Starred, Kirkus Reviews

"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

"A thoughtful read." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Both a great story and a perfectly-worded poetic work of art." --Richie's Picks

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

About the Author

Helen Frost is the author of several books for young people, including Hidden, Diamond Willow, Salt, Crossing Stones, Room 214: A Year in Poems, and Keesha's House, which was a Michael L. Printz Honor Book.