The Stone: A Persian Legend of the Magi [Hardcover]

Dianne Hofmeyr (Author), Jude Daly (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up

"Retold from the journal of Marco Polo, this Persian legend of the three wise men and the gift they receive in return for their own is both unusual and adeptly related...A magic carpet of an offering."-Publishers Weekly.

"An exquisitely illustrated story."-Kirkus Reviews

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-6?According to the source notes, this story of the three Magi is based on versions of the tale heard by Marco Polo on his travels. The wise men are amazed by the beautiful star that appears in the night sky. Jasper thinks it's a planet; Melchior, a comet; Balthasar says, "It's a mystery. We must consult our charts and scrolls." They discover the legend of a "baby whose birth would be announced by a star" and decide to find him and honor him with gifts. They give him gold (for a king), myrrh (for a healer), and holy incense (for a holy man). He accepts the gifts and offers one in return. When they discover that it is only a stone, Jasper throws it into a well in disgust. Up bursts a tower of flame?indicating to the Magi that the child is all things: a true king, a healer, and a holy one. The fire will "bring justice and healing and peace into the world." This variant of the Biblical tale of Jesus's birth includes unusual details such as Magi who are more comical than wise, never agreeing about anything, and a baby (unnamed here) who is old enough to return a gift of his own. The message, however, is strong and just right for the season. Daly's luminous watercolors capture the sweep of the desert, the beauty of the night sky, and the gracefully stylized characters. An interesting enhancement to Christmas collections.?AC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages. 5^-8. From the annals of Venetian explorer Marco Polo comes a retelling of the thirteenth-century Persian legend of the Magi of Saveh. Three astronomers discover a brightly shining star, which, according to their scrolls, signifies the birth of a special child who will bring peace to the world. They travel to the child, bearing gifts of incense, myrrh, and gold. In return, the child gives them a small box. As they travel home, one of the men becomes so impatient that he opens the box, discovering what appears to be a mere stone. However, when he throws the stone in the well it becomes a great fire, a gift to be shared by all. Daly's detailed, mystical illustrations are well suited to the book but too small for using with large groups. Used in a one-on-one situation, though, they'll prompt interesting discussion as children are introduced to an intriguing story from an ancient culture. Helen Rosenberg

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (September 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374371989
• ISBN-13: 978-0374371982
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,399,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What the Magi received in return for the gifts they gave, March 8, 2004

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Stone: A Persian Legend of the Magi (Paperback)

In 1271 Marco Polo began his famous journey that eventually led him from the port of Venice to the magnificent court of the Kublai Khan in China. On his journey east Marco Polo visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where he was shown a lamp that had been burning continuously for over 1,200 years; he took some of oil from that lamp as a gift for the Kublai Khan. While passing through the Persian town of Saveh the traveler saw three tombs that the locals said was the final resting place of three men named Balthasar, Melchior, and Jasper. Marco Polo wrote down the story that they told him and Dianne Hofmeyr retells the tale as "The Stone: A Persian Legend of the Magi," with watercolor illustrations by Jude Daly, the pair having worked together previously on the picture book "Do the Whales Still Sing?"

The tale beings with the three astronomers gazing up at the heavens and witnessing a star like no other star, that fills the night sky with its fiery light. Consulting their charts and scrolls they can across the legend of a baby whose birth would be announced by such a star and who would grow up to become a king that brought justice, healing, and peace to the world. The three astronomers set off to find the child and honor him, bearing their gifts of gold, myrrh and holy incense. Most readers, young and old, will be familiar with the story up to this point. But when the three men find the simple shelter on which the star shown they find something other than the baby that they have come to see. More importantly, when they give their gifts, they receive one in return.

That simple gift and its significance make up the final part of the story, which nicely compliments what little is said about the Magi in the Gospels. The point of the legend also makes a simple point, which is usually the type that people need to be reminded of from time to time. "The Stone: A Persian Legend of the Magi" should come to the attention of new readers at Christmas time each year as an old way of taking a new look at the ancient story.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moving story that tugs at our heart strings, May 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Stone: A Persian Legend of the Magi (Hardcover)

This moving story that tugs at our heart strings reminds us of the important values we base our lives on. Decisions we make as adults often seem automatic. In reality these "choices" reflect our values; values moulded and established when we were still children. How? Through stories, magical stories passed on from person to person, from generation to generation. This story is a wonderful return to 'traditional' teaching methods, storytelling at its finest.

It is also written by my mom.

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT book!, October 18, 2011

By 

shigg - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Stone: A Persian Legend of the Magi (Paperback)

This is a beautiful story, told in a very family-friendly way. It has inspired conversation every time I've shared the story. I bought a copy for my brother-in-law, who is a pastor. He preached on it! Illustrations are perfect. If you are looking for a fresh take on the Christmas story, start here.