Stone Wall Secrets
Tilbury House Publishers, Gardiner, ME in 1998. Co-authored by Kristine Thorson, illustrated by Gustav Moore. Republished in 2014 as a new edition as a Tilbury House Nature Book.
Awards
Smithsonian Notable Books for Children, 1998
Bookbuilders of Boston, Best Children’s Book, 1998
Listen to the Opening
Reviews
Children’s Literature: “This heartfelt picture book features a well crafted story, detailed descriptions, and distinctive paintings. After reading this outstanding publication, readers will never look at old stones the same way again. Stone Wall Secrets promises to engage readers at every age, and will be a favorite of generations for years to come.”
School Library Journal: “A grandfather gives his grandson a lesson in geology, history, and family pride as they examine the stone walls defining his New England farmstead. Often filling two pages, the colorful, realistic paintings provide a clear picture of the past and present.”
Smithsonian Magazine: “On a fine autumn day, a grandfather and grandson repair the wall on their farm. The rocks they heft offer passage to the realms of geology, history, and anthropology in a seamless, richly interdisciplinary narrative.”
New York Times: “The Thorson’s book is aimed at sparking the curiosity of elementary and middleschool students.”
Appraisal: “This book will appeal to children and to anyone who wants children to love learning science. Stone Wall Secrets should be in every library that provides science books to children.”
Catalog Copy
A children’s science book explores the ages through geology; accompanied by an engaging teacher’s guide. What can the rocks in old stone walls tell us about how the earth’s crust was shaped, melted by volcanoes, carved by glaciers, and worn by weather? And what can they tell us about earlier people on the land and the first settlers? As Adam and his grandfather work together to repair the family farm’s old stone walls, Adam learns how fascinating geology can be, and how the everyday landscape provides intriguing clues to the past. Stone Wall Secrets also shows positive family dynamics between different generations and different races in an adoptive family. Gus Moore’s richly detailed paintings are the perfect complement to a story full of imagery and wonder.
Teacher’s Reference
The K-8 curriculum laid out in the National Science Foundation project “Beyond Stone Walls” was developed principally by classroom teachers, graduate students, and faculty in the NEAG school of education at the University of Connecticut. Its goal was to use stone walls to help teach the mandated science standards using a trans-disciplinary framework .
The WHAT to teach (the discipline-specific content beneath the curriculum) was so broad, we decided to put together a one-stop reference guide to the subject of stone walls in general, and to the book Stone Wall Secrets in particular. With this guide, a teacher or curriculum designer can easily upgrade their knowledge of many related subjects.
Follow the Teacher’s Reference links to:
Copyright Warning: This document contains text material protected by Copyright ©1998 to Kristine and Robert Thorson under the title Stone Wall Secrets, Kristine and Robert Thorson. Copyright to the illustrations is to Gustav Moore, reproduced in low resolution format with permission. Stone Wall Secrets was published by Tilbury House Publishers, Gardiner, ME (1998). Please do not copy teacher’s reference for distribution without permission.
School Enrichment
Professor Thorson does occasional classroom visits and workshops to facilitate the use of Stone Wall Secrets in the classroom. But the model he developed can be used by anyone. There is also a curriculum for teacher use, and there was a a Teaching Kit and a Teachers Guide by Ruth Deike.
Link to the extensive web site for Stone Wall Secrets at the Stone Wall Initiative.