By Awnali Mills
Long ago, Father carved Mayka and her animal companions from stone. But Father is long dead now, and over time their marks, the marks that keep them alive and functioning, are fading. When Turtle finally quits moving, Mayka decides that it’s time to take action. She will leave the mountain, go to the town of Skye, and find a stonemason to recurve their marks. The stone birds Jacklo and Risa insist on coming with her.
The three friends discover that the city is much more complicated than the mountain. Even among the many stone creatures, the friends are unique and no one has ever seen a stone girl before. Soon they find themselves in danger of never being allowed to leave, but the danger to themselves is only the beginning. The freedom of every stone creature is in jeopardy. Can Mayka and her friends stop the enslavement? Or are they too late?
I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of The Girl Who Drank the Moon. The world felt new and completely different to me, but at the same time, it had the flavor of an old fairy tale—familiar and comforting. I know that doesn’t make sense, but there it is. Mayka is sincere and honest, and reads just like a girl who has grown up in an uncomplicated environment.
Most of all, I loved the idea of the marks that animate the creatures. Each mark tells the story of the creature and shapes their personality. But the book teaches us that we are the masters of our own stories, and we get to determine for ourselves if we’re going to follow the course laid out for us or if we’re going to change. Put this in the hands of 3-7 graders who like fantasy, adventure, fairy tales, or just a good story.
The Librarian Is on The Loose 
What do you think of giving this to a first grader? She can handle the reading-level, I’m sure (she’s read Harry Potter… but only the first few) – I just always worry about subject matter being too advanced for her! Thanks 🙂
If she can handle the reading level, I wouldn’t have a problem giving it to her. She might not be able to understand the underlying themes, but would enjoy the story. I hope she likes it!
Thanks! We’ll have to check it out. I think that’s where she was with Harry Potter, too… enjoying the story but not quite getting the underlying themes. I figure she’ll just have to reread them when she’s a bit older! Right now I’m just struggling to find things that take her longer than a day to read that she enjoys and are appropriate, subject-matter-wise. Thanks for your help 🙂
You might also try the Tuesdays at the Castle series by Jessica Day George and the Mo & Dale Mysteries by Sheila Turnage (the first is Three Times Lucky). You can always ask your local children’s librarian for recommendations. It’s the best part of our job!
This sounds really enjoyable! Thanks for the review!