The Crying Rocks
By Matt Berman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Slow-paced book about tough issues has supernatural spark.
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What's the Story?
Joelle can't remember her life before she was adopted at the age of five. Her adoptive mother, Mary Louise, provides a few strange details that don't really make sense or hang together, such as that she traveled alone on a freight train, and lived for a while in a box in the railyard with a crazy woman. Joelle's growing friendship with Carlos introduces her to his fascination with the Narragansetts, an Indian tribe that lived in their area hundreds of years ago. There are disturbing and conflicting rumors about them, and their research only turns up more contradictions. But Carlos has family secrets too, and an old homeless woman, who is rumored to be an Indian queen, may hold the key both to their quest and to Joelle's past.
Is It Any Good?
This book is slower and more thoughtful than many of Jane Taylor Lisle's others, and only patient, experienced readers are likely to be drawn in. Lisle specializes in two themes: the hint, usually unexplained, of fantasy or the supernatural in everyday life, and shifting perspectives that keep both characters and readers guessing about what's true and what isn't. Both are at play here.
It's a mystery of sorts, and discovering the truth will keep some readers turning the pages. Others will find the lack of action or vibrant characters dull. It has its moments, but it lacks the visionary lyricism of Lisle's best work.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Joelle's search for identity. How has the mystery surrounding Joelle's past influenced who she is at the start of the book? How does everything she learns change her?
What did you think about the fantasy or supernatural elements of this book? Do they add or take away from Joelle's story?
Book Details
- Author: Janet Taylor Lisle
- Genre: Family Life
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster
- Publication date: October 24, 2003
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
- Number of pages: 199
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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