Stone Fox and Top Secret

Rating:
Summary: A Terrific Story
Review: Ten year old Willy lives in Jackson, Wyoming on a potato farm with his grandfather and his dog Searchlight. When his grandfather falls ill and the tax collector comes calling for back taxes, Willy is determined to find the money to save the farm. But where can a 10 year old boy earn $500? He sees an advertisement for the National Dogsled Race, held each year in Jackson and decides to enter. He is convinced that he and Searchlight can beat the other racers, among them, an American Indian, Stone Fox. Stone Fox has a team of five Samoyeds and has never lost a race. He races to earn prize money so that he can buy back land taken from his people. John Reynolds Gardiner has written a beautiful story of faith and courage with strong, exciting scenes that move the story along at a fast pace. With its powerful, emotional ending, youngsters begin to understand that not every story has a happy ending and you have to learn to accept the good with the bad. Stone Fox is a story of two heroes, trying to win the race for good causes and in the end, they were both winners. A must read for children age 9-12 and the perfect read-aloud family book.

Rating:
Summary: Great Read aloud!
Review: I just finished reading the book aloud to my 6 year old daughter and 7 year old son. They both loved the book!

Rating:
Summary: A terrific book!
Review: I teach third graders in NY! My class and I loved this book so much! It provides a wide range of topics to integrate while reading: geographical locations, info on dog sled races, caring for the elderly and sick, the pay off for working hard and overcoming impossible odds. We were happy and then very sad... it is wonderfully written too. The author demonstrates to children the benefits of figurative and descriptive writing ! We would highly recommend this book!

Rating:
Summary: Stone fox
Review: Iliked the story stone fox because it was exciting and sad. I knew someone was going to die I thought it was grandfather because he was in bed all day and every day. Willy entered the sled race because he wanted to get his Grandfather out of depression. Stone Fox entered the dog sled race so he could get his people's land back. You should read Stone Fox, it is a great story.

Rating:
Summary: stone fox
Review: I gave the story Stone Fox 4 stars. One reason is because I wanted to see who was going to win the dog sled race out of Little Willy and Stone Fox. I thought Stone Fox was going to win. The story is great. Willy had a lot of courage to save the farm. I think you should read it.

Rating:
Summary: Stone Fox
Review: I like this story because at the beginning it was funny,a little bit.I think Willy had a lot of courage to try to save Grandpas farmk with the $500 they're givingthe winner of the dog sled race, that's if Willy wins.At the middle it was sad because Grandpa got sick and they almost lost their farm, untilWill won the race. Last, it was very, very, very sad but I can't tell you why because it's a secret. You will have to read the book Stone Fox.

Rating:
Summary: The Traditional Hero versus The Modern Hero
Review: Stone Fox is a children's novel based on the story of Willy, a ten-year-old boy who lives with his grandfather on a potato farm in Wyoming. After his grandfather becomes ill, Willy sets out to find out why his grandfather is so sick. With his grandfather's condition worsening daily, Willy eventually determines the cause is the fact that he cannot pay the taxes on his farm. Willy then enters a race with his trusty dog Searchlight to face Stone Fox, an Indian who was unbeatable at dog racing, and he comes out victorious winning the $500 prize to pay the farm taxes. Stone Fox embodies the common characteristics of the traditional hero found throughout literature. This story, based on a Rocky Mountain legend, is no different; it depicts the story of two heroes, Willy and Stone Fox, who put their energy into saving the people they love. These characters, however, fit two different types of heroes. Stone Fox is portrayed as a more traditional hero similar to male protagonists, whose stories have been told throughout the ages. Willy, however, tends to embody the characteristics of a modern hero. All aspects of Stone Fox's character depict him as a traditional hero. First, his physical stature fits a common mold of heroes from legends such as Beowulf and John Henry. He is described as a "giant," and his physique makes a profound impression on those who see him, especially Willy. His dogs were described in the text saying, "They pulled a large but lightly constructed sled. They also pulled a large-but by no means lightly constructed-man." This is similar to characters such as Goliath, a Biblical character, whose physical appearance alone can make his presence known. The second feature that supports this notion of a traditional hero is his cause. Like most other common heroes, Stone Fox's ultimate mission is not to win dog races but to save his people, the Shoshone Indians. The American government has taken their land, and he uses the money he wins from the dog races to buy back the land that was once the Shoshone's. In contrast to Stone Fox, Willy is a non-traditional hero whose character defies the parameters set by the traditional hero. Unlike most heroes, Willy is a ten-year-old child who lives on a potato farm; in addition, he is a child who doesn't seem to have parents close to him and is raised only by his grandfather. Yet he has the responsibility at that age to take on the adult tasks of running a farm, determining his the cause of his grandfather's illness, and training for a race. In taking charge of curing his grandfather, he requests frequent visits from Doc Smith; and when no one else can cure his grandfather, Willy's perseverance helps him determine his grandfather suffers from an emotional ailment, not physical. All of these are extreme undertakings emotionally, but they would be virtually impossible for a boy of such a small physique and life experience. In addition, Willy is a modern hero who doesn't rely on his wisdom or wit to become heroic. Willy simply uses what he has, whether it is the $50 in the bank or a dog named Searchlight to accomplish his goals. Because Willy would not have been what people would have traditionally thought of a heroic figure, he portrays a modern hero. These two figures with different intentions both use dog racing to save others. Both Willy and Stone Fox become inspirations for the people of their village. Although one a traditional hero and the other a modern hero, both characters use their brave actions to save those they love.

Rating:
Summary: Stone Fox
Review: This is about a boy who has to find a way to save his grandfather's farm. It is a story that teaches some hard lessons and has an exciting ending. We recommend this book as one that keeps your interest.

Rating:
Summary: Please read Stone Fox!
Review: Overall, I thought Stone Fox was really good, but there were some parts I didn't like. I didn't like the fact that the story didn't tell much about Stone Fox's dogs. However, I did like that there were a lot of different descriptions about the harsh winter weather in Wyoming. I especially liked that there were a lot of details and I could picture what was happening in my mind. I liked how there were some funny parts like when Grandfather dressed up like a scarecrow. Stone Fox was so exciting that I couldn't stop reading until the end. My favorite part was when Little Willy carried Searchlight over the finish line and even won. I encourage many other students to read the book Stone Fox.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book Ever
Review: I read Stone Fox and thought it was a really good story, but some parts are sad. The reason I liked Stone Fox was because it didn't have a fairytale ending. I especially liked that Little Willy didn't quit before the beginning of the race. People kept telling him that he was crazy to enter the race. I thought Stone Fox was a great story.