Nye, Sand and Stones

K-Gr 3--"Somewhere off the coast and around the corner were two islands that had existed alongside each other for as long as forever. One island was made mostly of stones, the other mainly of sand, and that's where the problem began." So begins this charming story about injustice and standing up to question what has always been. As a young child, Nye, who lives among the other orange people on the Island of Sand, begins to ask why every day their beautiful sand castles are destroyed by catapulted stones from the neighboring Island of Stones. The people there are yellow, sort of angular, and robotlike, and they love hurling stones, but no one seems to know how it started. Everyone around Nye accepts that this is just how it is. When Nye sees the effect of this destruction on her small sibling's emotional state, enough is enough. Nye challenges the people of the Island of Stones to use their rocks and efforts to make things better rather than destroy things. Listeners and readers will be inspired to question aspects of their own lives, and will love the tale of two groups of different people finding a way to live harmoniously. VERDICT Discussions about injustice will be the perfect segue for this book in story hours. It will appeal to a wide arrange of grade levels, and makes a strong addition to most collections.--Betsy Davison, formerly at Homer Central H.S., NY

A young tot learns the importance of speaking out. Two small islands exist side by side. One is made of sand, the other of stones. On the Isle of Sand, children scurry around constructing magnificent sand castles. The Isle of Stones, however, has elaborate catapults, ready to launch rocks at a moment's notice. Every day, after the warning bell rings, the rocks fly toward the Isle of Sand and destroy the castle creations. The children on the Isle of Sand know to run when they hear the bell, so no one ever gets hurt. And after each barrage, they dutifully roll the rocks back to be returned to the Isle of Stones, singing, "On the Isle of Sand, we build to the sky. / When the stones crash down, we never ask why." But one young child, Nye, does question the frustrating state of affairs. Adults can only murmur, "It's just the way it is." Nye has had enough! With eyes scrunched and hair in two puffballs that seem to explode off her head--mirroring her strong will--she gives the Isle of Stones an ultimatum (along with some helpful advice). Challenging the status quo can be intimidating but, as Nye proves, well worth the effort. People on the Isle of Sand have bright russet skin, and people on the Isle of Stones have yellow skin with blocklike features. A French edition with translation by Rachel Martinez publishes simultaneously. A must for all budding nonconformists who wish to activate change. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.