Product Description

Johnny lives in a town where everyone owns a shiny green stone. He has one, too--until his mean-spirited behavior makes him lose it. His family and the whole town help him search for the stone. But, to find it, he alone must discover the "bright green sun in his heart." Full color throughout.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #560040 in Books
• Published on: 1991-10-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

From Publishers Weekly
"In a small community on the Earth," every person and animal possesses a shiny green stone. If a stone's owner shows warmth, love and respect to others, his stone glows, but negative actions and feelings cause the stone to become dull and gray until restitution can be made. When Johnny loses his green stone, he must discover the strength and wisdom within himself that will bring the magic glow back to his life. Walker presents a rather forced message in this strange story. The tone is ethereal and removed--odd qualities in such a personal plot--while the writing style, especially the dialogue, is stiff and didactic. Young readers will have difficulty understanding the confusing concept that a person's inner goodness should be reflected in an iridescent rock. Deeter's warm acrylic paintings are full of life, depicting the multiethnic inhabitants of this unusual town, which itself seems enveloped by an eerie green light. The book's intent is noble but in the end simply too hard to swallow. All ages.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-- Like everyone in their largely African-American community, Johnny and Katie each have a green stone that glows when they are particularly loving or caring. Johnny loses his and immediately begins acting badly. (It's unclear whether he lost it because he acted badly; at any rate, ``because of his hurtful behavior, he deserved to lose it.'') His actions make everyone, himself included, sad (no one gets angry in this book). Johnny's father trucks wood (but feels bad about tree-cutting); his mother is a fast-moving community doctor, rushing around with her stone in her mouth (no danger of choking?). When she reacts impatiently to Johnny's loss, her stone turns a sickly color; her amended response is to put her arm around her son and tell him it's his own fault. Only Johnny himself can find it again, but the whole community drops everything to be with him while he looks. When he puzzles over their support, he feels ``as if all the warmth inside himself was trying to rush out''--but instead of a fatal chill, he gets his stone back. Allegorical consistency is not the book's strong suit: although the stone seems to be an external conscience, trees and dogs have them too; and the possession of a stone doesn't keep some characters from acting badly. Preachy psychology and muddled fantasy make for a heavy-handed blend. Deeter's warm, bright acrylics are cheery and attractive, but can't save this tract from sinking under its own well-intentioned weight. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
The Pulizer Prize-winning novelist tells an allegorical tale with a contemporary setting: Like everyone in their friendly rural neighborhood, Katie and her brother Johnny each possess an iridescent green stone, carried in a pocket or used for games. When Johnny loses his, he accuses Katie of stealing it; later, he tries to steal hers, but to no avail--the stone promptly loses its luster. Though others generously join his search, Johnny eventually realizes that the quest is his alone; and by the time he regains his stone, it's evident that it embodies his unique talents and integrity, and that any stone may lose its power as a result of its owner's failings, from name-calling to more serious transgressions. The focus is on several messages (including that the children's mother is a doctor, and their father is sorry that he's forced to make a living by driving a pulpwood truck), but, still, this holds attention--especially with Deeter's colorful, large-size paintings, glowing with wholesome good health; one especially appealing spread reveals that this is a multiracial but mostly black community. Heavy-handed, but enjoyable. (Picture book/Young reader. 5-10) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

A story for all ages!
I use this book during our friendship week. It's a great story with many themes that help build our "community" in my classroom. This is one of my favorite books.