Hurry up or you’ll be eating with the chickens, he would say. Then he would make breakfast and call little Willy. Grandfather always got up real early in the morning. And when he cried his beard filled up with tears. It took little Willy an hour to catch on. Like the time Grandfather dressed up as the scarecrow out in the garden. Especially when Grandfather felt like playing. It was hard work living on a potato farm, but it was also a lot of fun. Little Willy lived with his grandfather on a small potato farm in Wyoming. He just lay there and stared at the ceiling and looked sad.Īt first little Willy thought he was playing. ONE DAY GRANDFATHER wouldn’t get out of bed. The end of the race stays in doubt until the final pages as words fly by.Tragic, beautiful and kind, Stone Fox is a story to linger in the mind of young readers, inspiring questions, thought and hope.Disclosure: A good friend knew I’d love it and she was right.

But things weren’t always easy even in simpler times, and good people didn’t always win. So how will need and luck play out?The story pulls the reader in right from the start. Unfortunately someone else needs that money too. But powerful banks conspire against him, and there’s only way Willy can raise the necessary money.

But now it’s Willy’s turn and he’ll do anything he can to bring his grandfather's mind back from the brink. Willy’s grandfather has always cared for him. Willy and his brave dog Searchlight must face off against experienced racers, including a Native American man named Stone Fox, who has never lost a race.Įxciting and heartwarming, this novel has sold millions of copies and was named a New York Times Outstanding Children's Book.Evocative black and white illustrations enhance a simply told story, recreating a simpler world of the past, where small boys could try to save the family farm and neighbors would do all they could to help. But he isn't the only one who desperately wants to win. Little Willy is determined to win the National Dogsled Race - the prize money would save the farm and his grandfather.

When Grandfather falls ill, he is no longer able to work the farm, which is in danger of foreclosure. It's a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom.īased on a Rocky Mountain legend, Stone Fox tells the story of Little Willy, who lives with his grandfather in Wyoming. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween listeners in grades five to six, especially during homeschooling. John Reynolds Gardiner's classic action-packed adventure story about a thrilling dogsled race has captivated readers and listeners for more than 30 years.

Stone fox by john reynolds gardiner