Below, you will find the results of the Stone Soup 2023 Book Contest. It is always thrilling to read through the manuscripts and always difficult to make the final call. Thank you to all who submitted. We are excited to share more about the winning book in the coming months! Winner (Fiction) His Tower of the Night: A Nathalia Kitzmiller Myster, Siri Nelson, 12 Finalists Fiction Secrets and Blueberry Pie, Oola Breen-Ryan, 12 Waterfall Rocks, Anika Burst, 11 The Exchange, Yutia Li, 14 Cherry Knots, Chloe Ruan, 14 The Groundworld Heroes, Adrian So, 13 Traten, Alexandra Steyn, 14 Kingdoms of Glass, Isabella Washer, 14 Glimpse of Another World—a Collection of Short Stories, Samantha Wu, 14 Poetry Poet in 5, Madeline Cleveland, 13 Tree Alone, Amity Doyle, 13 rainbow dreams, Xi Huang, 10 Little Bay Soup, Marilena Korahais, 13 and Petros Korahais, 10 Reflections of Observation, Madeline Male, 14 *We did not select a poetry winner this year
The Story That Cannot Be Told, Reviewed by Roxy Messier, 12
A few days ago, something happened. If it had not happened, it wouldn’t have been told. What happened was this: I picked up The Story That Cannot Be Told at the library. I did this without knowing that this book would be so very fantastic that I want to learn more about Romania, and of course, get my own copy! The story focuses on a very relatable ten-year-old girl named Ileana. She acts a lot like I feel I acted as a ten-year-old, though of course, I didn’t experience any of the things she experienced. Ileana lives under the hand of the “Leader,” as she calls him throughout the whole story. Ileana writes of how life was back when the “Leader” wasn’t in power, though she’s only ever heard about it in the stories her parents tell. Ileana loves stories, and writes them in her “Great Tome,” not knowing that her life will soon be turned upside down. When her uncle is presumed dead for writing poetry against the “Leader” and his regime it becomes dangerous for Ileana to stay with her family. She is sent to the grandparents she has never met, in rural Romania. Ileana knows nothing of her grandparents and their town except for what her mother has told her. When she arrives she meets a new friend and learns how to farm with her grandparents. As time goes on, Ileana grows close to this town and must fight to defend it with nothing but bravery, her friend, and the power of stories. This book also carries a story within the story, the story of cunning Ileana, for whom Ileana was named. Cunning Ileana must go against her own sisters to survive in a world that is against her father, whom she dearly loves. This book, like all good books do, made me angry at many of the characters, and some parts made me eager to see what happened next. As a plus, the cover is lovely. Ileana’s character development is noticeable, as she transforms from a little girl who loves to write stories, to an older, braver girl, who still loves to write stories! In the end, The Story That Cannot Be Told is a spectacular tale about family, courage, and the power of stories. Everyone between the age of 8 and 800 should read this book, especially people who love history and stories. The Story That Cannot Be Told by J. Kasper Kramer. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2020. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
A Castle in the Sky, Reviewed by Lydia Chen, 9
If you like anime, you should check out this Japanese film named A Castle in the Sky by Studio Ghibli. It is an amazing film about nature that won the Animage Anime Grand Prix in 1986. Studio Ghibli, Inc. is a Japanese animation studio based in Koganei, Tokyo. Director Miyazaki chose the name Ghibli from the Italian noun ghibli which means hot desert winds. He chose this because the studio would “blow a new wind through the anime industry.” This studio has won lots of awards. Many of their works have won the Animage Grand Prix award. Four films have won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. Five have received Academy Award nominations. Spirited Away won the 2002 Golden Bear and the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature! A Castle in the Sky is about teams racing to find a flying island. The main character, Sheeta, has a crystal that can lead to Laputa, the island. She and her newfound friend Paztu make daring decisions leading up to a stunning climax! The main theme of this wonderful story is the clash between humanity, technology, and nature. My favorite part is surprisingly not the climax, but instead a peaceful part at the beginning. When Paztu frees the birds and they fly around chirping with joy, I feel the same joy in my heart. I love how they show how humanity and nature can work together peacefully before how they clash. Although this movie is incredible, there are some faults. One of them is that the main characters seem older or younger than they are supposed to be, as well as being a bit too talkative. For example, Sheeta is about 13, and the pirates are likely no younger than early 20s. Otherwise, this is an amazing film. In conclusion, A Castle in the Sky is a great movie for all ages. I recommend this because of the theme and the smashing climax. In my opinion, this is the greatest film ever. Although that may be because I love anime, I still truly believe others will enjoy it.
