The Stones of Green Knowe [Paperback]

L. M. Boston (Author), Peter Boston (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Green Knowe

This last installment of the beloved series recounts the long-ago beginnings of Green Knowe, a time when Roger, the son of a Norman lord, was the first child to live in the grand old manor. Roger finds some ancient stones on the grounds, which magically transport him back and forth in time so he can meet and befriend Toby, Linnet, Susan, and Tolly--the future inhabitants of Green Knowe and the heroes of the five other magical books in the series.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An enchantment."--Newbery Medal winner Susan Cooper

"Stands on its own as an intriguing time-shift fantasy, deftly blending the real and the fantastic . . . written with grace and conviction."--The Bulletin

"Magic and mystery combine . . . Boston is an effortless stylist and her magic seems as simple as breathing."--The Washington Post

About the Author

LUCY MARIA BOSTON (1892-1990) purchased a ramshackle manor house near Cambridge, England, in 1935, which over a period of two years she lovingly restored. That house inspired her, at the age of sixty-two, to take pen in hand to create the beloved Green Knowe series.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper; 1-Simul edition (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152055665
• ISBN-13: 978-0152055660
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #345,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "It is a Family Heirloom. It Will Come to Me Again.", January 17, 2004

By 

R. M. Fisher "Raye" (New Zealand = Middle Earth!) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: The Stones of Green Knowe (Hardcover)

I'm a little concerned that the previous five books in the "Green Knowe" series all seem to be back in print whilst "The Stones of Green Knowe", the sixth and final book (an essential part of the collection) has apparently been neglected. If you are tracking down Lucy Boston's fantastic series of books, then don't stop at "A Stranger at Green Knowe" - there is one more book to be read, though it is obviously not as well-known as the others.

"The Stones of Green Knowe" completes Boston's series, and aptly takes us right back to the beginning of Green Knowe: to its original construction in 1120 A.D. The very first of the Green Knowe children is Roger, the grandson of a Norman Earl, who is excited beyond words at the building of a two-storied stone house, complete with windows. Roger's days are spent watching the flocks and exploring the construction site, with as much attention given to historical accuracy and detail as one would expect from Rosemary Sutcliffe. Like all the previous young protagonists, he is surrounded both by semi-mysterious characters sympathetic to his situation (such as the Viking Olaf Olafson, who gifts him with a magical knife, and another kindly grandmother reminiscent of the not-yet-born Grandmother Oldknow), and characters that make his life a little bit more difficult - such as a snobbish mother, not the first one to appear in Boston's books, leading me to believe that the author knew one personally.

Yet despite being surrounded by all this excitement, Roger becomes captivated by the talk of the workers, who mention among themselves two mysterious stones out on the hills: "Surely you've heard of them? Very old, they were. Two of them standing out alone on a grassy hill at twilight, it gave you the jumps to see them." Roger, along with his horse Viking and his dog Watchet, seek them out, and by clearing away some brush, discovers the King and Queen Stones: the source of the magic of Green Knowe.

From there the real adventures begin, as Roger discovers what later generations have yet to do: time travel back and forth to discover the other children of Green Knowe, and the fate of his beloved home. In true Lucy Boston style, there is added in little notes of Roger's discomfort at the environmental destruction of the forest, but it never overshadows what we are really interested in: his meetings with Toby, Alexander and Linnet, with Susan and Jacob, and with Tolly, all living in the same house at different times. Marvelling at the differences they all face, the reader is eventually rewarded with a beautiful scene of all the children gathered together under the beech tree...joined by yet another unexpected child, who gives Roger a special keepsake.

After six books in the series, I was very sad to see its end, as with all great literature, I had grown quite attacted to Green Knowe and its inhabitants. It was a touch of genius to have the final book take place at 'the beginning' as it were, as we finally can understand where St Christopher came from, how Green Knowe got its name, and how the time travelling was made possible in the first place: through the Stones, whose origins remain an eternal mystery. If there was one fault, it was that Ping, Ida and Oskar were completely absent - in the final book, surely it would have been the right time to bring ALL the children together, but it seems Boston wanted to keep only the children of Roger's bloodline in for simplicity's sake.

"The Stones of Green Knowe" is the perfect ending to a stunning series of somewhat unknown books, leaving us with the major theme of the books: the ongoing battle to protect that which is natural and beautiful. I found it extremely fitting that the book ended with one last enigma concerning the fate of the Stones, and what appears to be the end of the time-travelling, for the last sentence of this last book took my breath away in its sadness and potency.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of the Green Knowe books, September 28, 1998

By 

Paula Berman (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Stones of Green Knowe (Hardcover)

Tolly, the hero of most of the other Green Knowe books, is a supporting character in this one. 'Stones' is centered around Roger, son of the Norman lord who first built Green Knowe. His travels into his future bring him into contact with Tolly, Susan, and some of the other children from the series. Without being dry and preachy, this book conveys the richness of English history along with the warmth of its characters and story.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sixth and last of the Green Knowe series, January 16, 2001

By 

"christina59" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Stones of Green Knowe (Hardcover)

Odd that some of these are out of print and some aren't, but any public library with a collection dating back to the sixties should have a copy.

Stones is indeed about Roger, son of the Norman lord who built Green Knowe, and the building of Green Knowe. Like all of the series, mysterious and imaginative and full of historical detail.

Like the best books of this type, the series creates a world of which the books merely touch the surface.

Highly recommended.