The White Stone in the Castle Wall [Hardcover]

Sheldon Oberman (Author), Les Tait (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 14, 1995 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

It may not be true but it could be – this story of how a single white stone came to be in the wall surrounding Casa Loma, the magnificient medieval castle that stands in the middle of Toronto.

John Tommy Fiddich lives in Yorkville, tends the family vegetable patch, and considers himself the “luckiest boy in town.” When a hailstorm wipes out the vegetables, he goes from being the luckiest to the unluckiest. Then word gets out that Henry Pellatt, the eccentric millionaire who brought light to the city and built Casa Loma, is offering one dollar for brown stones to place in the wall going up around the castle. After trudging through the city all day with his stone, John reaches the castle only to find that rain has washed it white. But Henry Pellatt accepts the stone for his wall, rewarding John for his hard work, making him again “the luckiest boy in town.”

The trip through the streets of Toronto, from Yorkville to Casa Loma, makes for a book as enchanting to young and old as the fabulous castle that inspired it.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3?Speculation as to how a singular white stone came to be among the 250,000 dull-colored ones in the wall surrounding Toronto's Casa Loma prompted the telling of this story. Built over 80 years ago by industrialist Sir Henry Pellatt, the medieval-style castle is surrounded by an immense wall made of stones purchased from poor citizens of Toronto. The saga of John Tommy Fiddich, a lucky boy who offers Pellatt a white stone representing hours of hard labor, is told in short, static phrases. Far better than the narration are the full-page watercolor paintings that depict the poverty of the shantytown beneath the castle, which contrasts with the splendor of its gardens and magnificent construction. A book that's of limited interest, except possibly to collectors of Toronto history.?Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“This is a very satisfying work of historical fiction for the young.”
–Globe and Mail

“A wonderful story about a young boy…and hard work…A Toronto story that is quite universal in its appeal.”
–CBC Morningside

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Tundra Books (September 14, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887763332
• ISBN-13: 978-0887763335
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,749,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Story and Educational, January 3, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The White Stone in the Castle Wall (Hardcover)

I used this book to learn about history. It's about a boy in 1912 and something that actually happened when a rich man asked people to bring stones to help build the wall of his castle. The illustrator drew great pictures of what the city was like in 1912 and how people lived at that time.(Amazon said it was made of photos but they are actually pictures that are drawn) I did a presentation about it at school and everyone really liked it and now they are all reading the book and saying it is great. (My mom helped with this review)

5.0 out of 5 stars A great story, January 3, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The White Stone in the Castle Wall (Paperback)

I read this book in school and its my favourite of the year, It is a real adventure of a boy in 1912. It made me feel like something from history could have happened to me. I really liked the pictures too because they showed how the city looked. Later we found out that all those buildings can still be seen and we can actually visit the Castle where it all happened.