Nye, Sand and Stones

Nye lives on the Island of Sand. Every day, she and the other children build beautiful sandcastles. Every day, the children on the nearby Island of Stones hurl rocks from large catapults which destroy the Sand children’s creations. The Sand children then roll the stones to the local tugboat captain who ferries the rocks back to where they came from. When Nye asks why, she is always told that is just the way it is. In fact, as the children take the stones to the dock, they sing about how no one asks why these stones arrive on the regular schedule. While Nye understands the answer, it just doesn’t feel right to her. One day, she loses patience and decides to take destiny into her own hands by confronting the Stone people about their daily routine.

Nye, Sand and Stones is well-written and features several lyrical passages. The text also makes use of a broad vocabulary, with novel words seamlessly integrated into the narrative. Young readers will be able to intuitively decipher the meaning of words that are new to them. The story, itself, while unique in concept and pleasing to the ear, is unfortunately somewhat lacking in depth.

The impact of the stone-throwing is largely seen and felt through Nye’s perspective. Other than her little sister sadly joining the daily chant, there is little evidence that other Sand people are negatively affected by the stone-throwing at all. In fact, two of the illustrations depict the Sand children returning the stones with smiles on their faces. While much could be read into this (such as the power that popular culture wields over our perceptions of right and wrong), it is a discordant note within the book. The situation is presented as wholly black and white: The stone throwing is obviously wrong, and the Sand people put up with it because they can’t imagine anything else. No one provides historical context or tries to defend the practice, such as pointing out that, by destroying the old sandcastles, they are able to build new ones.

Most of the story is spent following Nye as her frustration with the status quo builds. This leaves little room for the climax of the story, leading to a conclusion that may be dissatisfying to some readers. Rather than opening a dialogue, Nye opens with a threat shouted through a megaphone. Oddly, the Stone people do not take umbrage with this approach. The resulting resolution is overly pat and easy, with the Stone people changing their way of life with few questions asked.

The artwork, described as being “created with gouache, pencil and a little bit of computer”, features an interesting colour palette comprised primarily of yellows and orangey-reds, with blue accents. The illustrations have a moderate level of detail and usually have a simple or blank background which keeps the reader’s attention focused on the story.

Apart from the last (wordless) page spread, the pictures do a good job of depicting the story but add little to the narrative. The final illustration, showing the resulting friendship between the two islands, is cheerful. The added touch of sand sculptures that are larger and more complex than what could have been achieved previously is a good one.

A reasonable, though far from exhaustive, variety of body types are depicted among the cast. No disabilities are represented. The residents of the Island of Sand have reddish-brown skin while the dwellers on the Island of Stones have yellow skin and square-like builds. An array of hair colours and textures can be found on both islands.

Nye, Sand and Stones is a somewhat simple story with a message. That being said, readers young and old alike will find much to discuss here. Nye, Sand and Stones is a good book for those looking to read about an individual’s capacity to address injustice and change the world, but less than ideal for those who find meaning in sand mandalas or for those who perceive conflict resolution as being nuanced and collaborative.