Stone Fox

By John Reynolds Gardiner

First published 1980

There is something amazing about seeing someone learn to read. It’s like watching an explorer discover a lost world. Every minute is a new adventure. It really is sad that illiteracy is an issue today, because in very real ways being illiterate is like being blind.

Before my son learned to read, he seemed very frustrated. Each of my kids has learned to read at their own pace. My son was a later reader than his sisters and I think he was partly frustrated at not understanding this world they had access to. I am seeing similarities with our new reader who is seven.

I asked my son to give a review for today on Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner. He read this book for his book club, which he does with his best friend.

Wesley loved Stone Fox because there was a lot of action and emotion. Stone Fox is about a boy named Little Willy who lives with his grandpa on a potato farm. Little Willy has to earn money to help his grandpa by running a dog race. It is called Stone Fox because of a character toward the end of the story. It was an easy read for Wesley and his friend. It seems like something I would even find entertaining.

Wesley’s favorite part was when Little Willy and his grandpa were harvesting potatoes.

(Wesley also loves Harry Potter, and today he wanted to dress up.)