Module 13 - Amulet Book – 1: Stone Keeper

Summary:

Emily is a young girl that loses her father.  She and her family end up moving.  They move into their grandfathers old house.  The interesting thing is how their grandfather has been missing for a very long time.  No one knows where he is.  Strange things begin to happen in the house and when they finally decide to go and investigate, Emily’s mother is taken by a terrifying creature through a strange door.  Unsure of what to do, they follow their mother down some strange stairs. Her and her brother Nevin want to save her.  It just so happens that their grandfather knew things that they did not.  In one of the rooms of the old house, Emily had found an amulet.  It had been hidden and looked like a necklace.  She uses the power of the Amulet to guide her in this strange new world and to fight off danger.  It was full of very bizarre and fanciful creatures.  Some were animals that could talk and others were robots.  Some were even stranger.  Emily pairs up with one of the creatures, a rabbit that is a robot.  In the search for their mother, Emily discovers more and more about her family and a secret past. Her destiny is to become the stonekeeper but she just wants to save her family and go home.  It ends with them still searching for their mom. 


APA Reference: 


Kibuishi, K. (2008). The stonekeeper:  Amulet book 1. New York, NY:  Scholastic Inc.

My Impressions:

I love these types of stories.  Anything sci-fi or fantasy always catches my attention.  However, I am not the greatest fan of comic style books.  I am not fond of books that create the images of the story for me.  I also don’t care for the type of illustrations used.  The car wreck and the death of the father might also be a little hard for some to read about.  I did like the storyline, however.  I am usually the type of reader that locks themselves into only a few genres of reading material.  That being the case I always make comparisons.  This story reminded me of The Labyrinth.  I love new and creative ways to portray wild and unknown creatures.  My daughter enjoyed it.  Now of course we have to go get the others! 

 

Professional Reviews:

Library Media Connection Review

Grades 4-9 – After seeing their father die in a car accident sister and brother, Emily and Navin, move with their mother to an old family home to get a fresh start.  Little do they know that the house has some interesting secrets and surprises in store for them.  When their mother is lured through a door into a world populated by fantastical creatures, the children follow to save her.  This fantasy graphic novel will appeal to those reluctant readers with its interesting monsters and adventures.  The dark pictures aid in portraying the dark shadow of the story and help set the mood.  The prologue of the story relays the car accident and tragic loss of the children’s father and may be traumatic for some readers.  Kaylia Thomas, Librarian, Colt Elementary School, Marble Falls, Texas.

Thomas, K. (2008). Amulet Book 1: The Stonekeeper. Library Media Connection, 26(5), 67.

Library Uses:

a.       This story would be great for book talks.  There are more than one and that could make for an exciting and suspenseful semester.

b.      I think there is room for creativity with this tale.  I would use it to demonstrate adaptations in the environment.  This would be  a great science lesson.  They could use the creatures from the story and discuss what the environment might be like based on their physical characteristics and powers.