Eleven seventh graders and one teacher are clustered around three white tables in the middle of a small room, the walls adorned with maps, a white board, and a picture of Gandhi at a spinning wheel. We are discussing Gandhi’s religion and how it influenced him in his philosophy and life. Ideas bounce around the table, but I have run out of things to say. Our limited information comes from a few days of teacher presentations, class discussions, and short articles that our teacher handed out it class. All of the information is very school-like, interesting, but minimal because of the time limitations. After a few more ideas fly by, my mind drifts to my Gandhi book that I had picked off the shelf yesterday. It was The Life of Mahatma Gandhi, by Louis Fischer. I had gobbled the first few chapters up, taking in all the information I could about his death, the Hindu religion, and nonviolence. That information comes back to me and my hand shoots up. His relationship with his very religious mother led him to read the Gita and other religious texts when he was in law school. The Gita taught him to not feel temptation, which contributed to him being able to stay non-violent and peaceful. Then class is over, and instead of the learning about Gandhi being over too, I have the Gandhi book in my hand, ready to be read. I was more confident in class because I went deeper in this subject, but more importantly, I learned that I can go deeper in my learning. I may not ever need to know about Gandhi’s relationship with his mother, but learning to love and to go deeper with a subject is a skill that I will want in my life. I homeschooled until 6th grade, and I was taught at an early age that learning has no beginning or end, that you are constantly learning. We went regularly to the library and explored the Library of Congress, Folger Shakespeare Library, National Gallery, and all of the museums on the DC mall. When I homeschooled, learning was an all day experience. It was not confined to a small classroom, but opened up to the whole world. I learned when I was homeschooling that the world of learning is a mansion. The teacher’s job is to hand you the key and bring you to the entryway. However, there are so many more rooms to go through. They may not be neat and tidy like the information that your teacher presents you, but there are endless closets, drawers, and nooks and crannies to explore.. So, I challenge you, don’t let the mindset of having school work be the only way you learn take over. This week, month, or even semester, take something that you are learning about in school, or are super interested in, and find a book about it at the library, or read an article, or talk to an adult (other than your teacher) who knows about it. Dig into the subject even deeper–be an explorer, a researcher, an adventurer, a learner–and see what you find. Good luck!
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Eleanor & Park, Reviewed by Lucy Regnier Kline, age 13
Eleanor and Park, a novel by Rainbow Rowell, is an intriguing love story that kept me reading until I was done. Eleanor, the fat kid with bright red hair falls for Park, the semi-popular Asian kid. And Park realizes that he has a crush on the weird, redheaded girl that reads his comics on the school bus. Eleanor and Park are not the stereotypical romance characters. Rowell puts depth into her characters, making them as real and different as possible. Eleanor has a dad that doesn’t seem to love her, a stepdad that is mean and violent, and a mother that is afraid to get out of her relationship. To make matters worse, she lives in a small house with the bathtub in the kitchen that she shares with her whole family: her mom, stepdad, and her four siblings. Park, on the other hand, has a nice house with a supporting family, but is teased for his Korean heritage. Both protagonists are realistic and complex. The plot of the story is also beautifully written. The book switches between Eleanor and Park’s point of views. We therefore get both sides of the story, even when they aren’t together. The book portrays Eleanor and Park’s personal conflicts, as well as how they deal with them. It also shows how they feel about each other, and how they grow. We see them bond over comics and music. We watch as they deal with their parents. We observe as they change and learn to have hope even when it seems like life could disappear in a second. The conflicts that arise in this book reflect real issues today. Both characters deal with tough problems. Eleanor lives in a household with domestic abuse. Eleanor feels unsafe living in her house–especially when her stepfather turns the plot in a new direction. Park starts to wear makeup because he feels he looks cooler. His father judges him for it and doesn’t accept Park’s choice. Rowell vividly paints the characters’ feelings, thoughts, and problems, while at the same time making them relatable. When I finally put down Eleanor and Park, I sat for a while in awe of the combination of well developed characters, relatability, and creative plot. I was amazed by the heartbreaking ending. The book, I realized, was a story that connected with me and probably so many other readers. I would definitely encourage you to read this book if you are looking for a story that is raw, well thought out, and different. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013. Buy the book here and support Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? If so, comment below!
November issue published online today!
‘Fall’ by Keira Zhang Free Xexilya, a girl who can’t speak, forms an unusual bond with a mountain cat Sea Creature A mysterious jellyfish haunts Judy’s dreams Plus: A Review of Margi Preus’s Heart of a Samurai Letter from the Editor, November 2017 In the classic book Frankenstein, the monster isn’t actually named Frankenstein. Frankenstein is the doctor; the monster is never given a name. Throughout the novel, he’s alternately “the monster,” “the creature,” or, simply, “it.” But what is a creature, exactly? The word (which, like most words, came to us through Latin), means “a thing created,” but we tend to use it to refer solely to animals—even though us humans are also created, by our parents and perhaps by a greater being beyond them. In this issue, I found myself collecting stories, poems, and images about creatures—birds, butterflies, mountain cats, and jellyfish.And, in the process, I realized that we seem to turn to animals in our deepest, darkest moments, when we are contemplating the loss of someone we loved very much or wondering what our purpose is. This is an issue to match the season, with its short days and long, black nights. — Emma Wood Log in now at stonesoup.com to read your November issue! We are thrilled to share the November 2017 issue with all of you, our subscribers. Log into your account now to read all the stories, poems and reviews published this month, and enjoy some stunning art from our contributors. Remember, you can also download a PDF copy to print at home or upload to your offline device; or download our app and sign in to read it there. If you need any help getting access to the full range of material in this month’s issue, contact us at subscriptions@stonesoup.com and we’ll be able to help you get signed in.
