Stones in Water facts for kids
Stones in Water is a powerful novel written by Donna Jo Napoli in 1997. It tells the story of two Italian boys during World War II. One of the boys is Jewish. The book shows their struggle to survive in a work camp, how they try to hide the Jewish boy's background, and what happens to them.
Contents
Book Awards
This book won important awards. In 1998, it received the Golden Kite Award for fiction. It also won the Sydney Taylor Book Award for older readers. These awards show how well-written and impactful the story is.
The Story Begins
The story starts in Venice, Italy. A young boy named Memo asks his friend Roberto to go see an American Western movie. Roberto agrees. Their friend Samuele, who is Jewish, is also invited and decides to join them.
Journey to the Movie
The boys plan to meet at a bridge in their town. As Roberto gets ready, his older brother, Sergio, finds out. Sergio decides to go with them to the movie. When they meet, Sergio gets upset that Samuele is Jewish. He makes Samuele take off his Star of David band. To avoid trouble, they decide to walk in two separate groups. Memo and Roberto walk together, and Sergio walks with Samuele. They reach the movie theater without anyone noticing anything unusual.
Caught by Soldiers
Soon after the movie begins, soldiers from the Nazi army suddenly storm into the theater. The moviegoers are quickly separated into groups based on their age. Then, they are forced onto trains. These trains are heading North to a place no one knows.
A Secret Identity
The train stops many times, picking up more Italian boys. The boys wonder where they are going. During one stop, Samuele gets up, and Memo and Roberto follow him to the bathroom. Samuele reveals he was planning to escape the train. Memo thinks this is too risky. Roberto points out that if Samuele's Jewish background is discovered, he will be in serious trouble. To protect him, the boys decide to give Samuele a new nickname: Enzo. This name sounds more common for a Catholic boy. Roberto even gives Enzo his St. Christopher medal for good luck and protection.
Life in the Camp
The boys are taken to a labor camp. Their job is to work on an airstrip. They are given simple food like bread, sausage, and cheese. If they are the first to find a boy who has died, they are allowed to take the dead boy's clothes for warmth. One boy in the camp discovers Enzo's secret. He then tries to get more food from Enzo by threatening to tell on him.
A Tragic End and Escape
Life in the camp continues to be very hard. One day, Enzo is severely injured and tragically dies over a pair of German boots. After this terrible event, Roberto decides he must escape the camp to find safety. He manages to find an Italian soldier. Together, they ride down a river to freedom.
