This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
In The Stone Maker by Nancy Babicz, 9-year-old Max and his 12-year-old brother Eamon race each other through the woods to the Shadowy River that divides the Emerald Forest from the Dark Forest. Max loses the race, and the fun soon turns into an argument with Eamon. Suddenly, a mysterious boy across the river invites them to play on the other side. The boys know the danger of the Dark Forest－anyone who goes there "would either never come back or never come back the same". Max, who's still angry at Eamon, however, crosses the river despite his older brother's warning. Eamon follows him reluctantly. When Max's new friend loses interest in the arguing brothers and leaves, Max's anger gets the better of him and it costs him his sibling. What will Max tell their parents? Can he fix his mistake?
"Big brothers can be bossy" and "little brothers can surely be headstrong". As a middle child, I look back to my childhood and there's no arguing with these statements. Love, patience, tolerance, trust, and forgiveness are clear themes in Nancy Babicz's The Stone Maker. The earthy-toned illustrations are eye-catching and have a classic quality that brings back the nostalgia of the books that I read in my younger days. The narrative is to the point and engaging, perfect as a bedtime story for reading alone or as a group, and even perfect for young reluctant readers or the ones who can't sit still. All in all, it's a wonderful children's book from Babicz for kids to learn about the importance of sibling bonds.
