Review of "The Adventures of Tooki: The Secret of the Stones," by Jamie Courtier and Vicky Kimm

Review of

The Adventures of Tooki: The Secret of the Stones, by Jamie Courtier and Vicky Kimm ISBN 9781406330021

Five out of five stars

 This is an unusual story that requires a bit of insightful thinking to understand it, although not beyond the capabilities of the child in late middle school. The plot is that there are two societies that make a particular location their home, one during the summer and the other during the winter. Yet, each has no idea of the existence of the other.

 The location is essentially the Stonehenge structures and Tooki is a member of the group that lives there during the summer. That group is gathering food items for storage in the caves, at this time they will make them sick when consumed but will be turned into food over the winter. When an early major snowstorm arrives, the group immediately packs everything they can and begins the migration to their warmer summer homes.

 However, Pooki is separated from the group and realizes his only hope for survival is to go back to their summer home and live in the caves. He collapses in the snow and is rescued by a member of the tribe that lives there over the winter. This begins a cross-cultural experience where both tribes learn about each other and how they were unwittingly cooperating.

 The members of both tribes are fuzzy creatures that are attractive to children and their spirit of acceptance of others that are different is a powerful message. Even though he is strange, Pooki is accepted and aided, leading to what is indicated will be friendship and additional cooperation in the future. That is something that needs to be learned and relearned.