Stone Soup Magazine
— Otherworld Chronicles: The Invisible Tower, by Nils Johnson-Shelton; HarperCollins: New York, 2012; $16.99 Nils Johnson-Shelton’s The Invisible Tower brings the legend of King Arthur and his sorcerer, Merlin, into the...
— A chicken investigates a strange furry creature through the coop wire, stretching its neck cautiously before pecking the cat's ear.
— A homeless speaker finds beauty in rain-soaked streets while others hurry inside, seeing Picasso in puddles and mythological figures in storm clouds.
— A girl lies in her father's childhood bed in London, watching trains pass and imagining his life decades earlier in the same room.
— After a friendship ruptures over a science project, Jess discovers her late mother's journals and plans a camping sleepover to reconcile with Bailey under the stars.
— A girl remembers her grandfather through visits to a train station and Olvera Street, then recounts his death and what he taught her about time and memory.
— In 1940s America, a girl defies gender expectations to join the local baseball league, facing down the hostile coach and proving herself with a crucial home run.
— Temple Grandin, by Sy Montgomery; Houghton Mifflin Books for Children: New York, 2012; $17.99 The world is not always a friendly place for people who think different. Temple Grandin thinks...
— A young musician struggling with parental expectations discovers she can play beautifully when alone under the moonlight, free from pressure and performance anxiety.
— A child lies awake in a too-big bed at grandma's house, noticing the dripping faucet and crack of light until sleep finally comes.