I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinIons are my own.
A young boy hoping to stop the monster in the woods discovers he may have misjudged a poor soul in author and illustrator Steffanie Costigan’s “A Stony Gaze”.
The Synopsis
Medusa is not the only one with a stony gaze. Things are not always what they seem and gossiping words do not define an individual. Deacon learns that perhaps he judged someone a little too quickly.
“Within the mob the monsters we became. Pride blinded us and we became the very thing we thought we were fighting against. Ideas quickly escalate within a mob and reality becomes blurred hurting innocent individuals.”
The Greek mythology of Medusa with a fun learning twist to it. A Stony Gaze helps kids to learn in a safe environment about group polarization, mob mentality, gossip, bullying and the harm it can do to others. This story encourages kids to communicate and think as an individual before making harmful judgments, in a safe environment. A read that promotes anti-bullying and shares strategies to help kids understand there are two sides to each story.
The Review
What a unique, creative, and thoughtful read! The children’s approach to the Ancient Greek myth of Medusa was engaging right from the start. They developed Medusa as a myth of the woods, a quintessential boogeyman hiding under the bed, to give the story’s protagonist the driving force for this book’s more prominent themes. The warm colors in the illustrations helped capture Medusa’s contrasting views between the myth and legend of her monstrous ways and the truth about the person she is underneath.
The themes of bullying, its impact, the way rumors spread like wildfire, and not judging a book by its cover are all prevalent within this book. The legend of Medusa has always been a cautionary tale, and yet the author beautifully flips the script on that story as humanity becomes the true monsters of their story, destroying without having the whole truth and criticizing anyone different from themselves, teaching the protagonist a heartfelt lesson.
The Verdict
Engaging, thoughtfully crafted, and remarkable author Steffanie Costigan’s “A Stony Gaze” is a must-read children’s book. The twist in the Medusa narrative and the heartfelt lessons bestowed upon the reader create a reading experience that will resonate with children and parents alike. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Author Steffanie Costigan began her passion for writing at the young age of three years old. Despite her ongoing challenge with Dyslexia, she began to develop her skill in writing.
Steffanie would visit her next-door neighbors often, who was an elderly couple from Germany; they shared with Miss Costigan their war stories, which sparked her interest in the history of World War II. At the age of twelve, Steffanie began writing Land of The Dragon and refused to write anything else until she was satisfied with the finished book.
Steffanie Costigan got the opportunity to volunteer for her church and serve as a missionary in Adelaide, Australia. There she befriended many and met the Love of her life Jarom Costigan whom she married and started a family with.
Steffanie is continuing to develop and sharpen her writing skills as she is in the process of schooling through the Lethbridge College.
Steffanie Costigan remains passionate about her writings of Land of The Dragon and is critiquing five more books to follow Land of The Dragon’s ongoing volumes.
