Stone Angel

K-Gr 3—A little girl in Paris experiences an abrupt change in her happy and safe world when the Nazis arrive during World War II. To avoid being sent to a concentration camp, her family escapes to the woods, where they meet resistance fighters who help them survive. Her family later travels through the mountains to Spain and eventually to England. The young girl draws comfort from a guardian angel, whom she feels certain is watching over them. At the close of the story, the family returns to their home in Paris and listeners learn that the guardian angel is a stone statue near their apartment building and that it also survived the war. Yolen manages to put together just the right assortment of facts to ignite discussions between adult and child listeners. She provides an author's note to supplement the story as well. Rachel Botchan's narration and tone match the quiet triumph and innocence of a young girl.