*Shortlisted

Review by Francis, Corpus Christi Catholic High School Preston
I enjoyed this book because I did not know much about this period of history and this book told me about life at that time. I found the people of the Crow’s Claw tribe interesting because of the way they spoke and their lack of intelligence. I learned that people had to work together to live and the different roles they had in society and the idea of leaving their birth tribe to go to another one for a safter and better life was interesting. I would recommend this book because the plot is very intriguing, and the outcome of the story is great. I definitely want to learn more about ancient tribes.

Review by Ridwanah, Wellington Primary School, Tower Hamlets
All the characters in the book were unique in their own way, they were all nice characters, but I think my favourite is Zeta as she is a brave individual. She is also independent and is caring to her brother Finn, helping, and finding solutions when she can. Zelda also stands up for herself and others, trying to make things right. Many of the characters were nice and quite amazing but a group that I didn’t particularly like as much were the Crow’s Claw tribe since they were disrespectful, greedy, forceful, and also, they are thieves. They are also unhygienic and are quite unskilful which lead to their uncleanliness. When Zelda and Finn had accidentally stumbled upon their territory they were dragged in as prisoners in this little hut that reeked of dead animal.

The book was set in the Mesolithic period (which is something I have never heard of before) and it was set in 7000BCE. One of the things I have learnt is that they use animal skins to make huts and believed that there were many spirits around them, they pray to them too. They also call Autumn ‘Leaf Fall.’ In this time period, they knew how to make boats out of wood and animal skin, they also had bows and arrows with arrowheads made out of flint to hunt for food. They also ate eggs raw at times.

I would recommend this book to pupils who enjoy reading historical fiction books from the times where humans weren’t as advanced as they are now. I would also recommend to pupils who enjoy adventure, a little sprinkle of sadness, happiness, love, and more adventure. I don’t think there is any part of the book I didn’t like, this proves it is very, very, very fantastically wonderful book.

Review by Milo, Sheen Mount Primary School, Richmond
Stone Arrows is an adventure book set in 7000 BCE around the middle of the Mesolithic period of hunter gatherers. Originally, I found it hard to get into but after a few chapters I liked it a lot. The book is based on a tribe called the Roaring Bears and two children, named Zit and Finn, and their parents, named Rut and Oran, from that tribe. A tragedy happens whilst hunting and Zita and Finn must travel across the land to the mighty running water and then follow it to the endless water (the sea) where they will find their mother’s birth tribe. Along the way, they run into a bear, get kidnapped, find their imprisoned childhood friend, loose each other in a dangerous storm and almost succeed in an epic scene where they almost drown all whilst there are killers chasing them.

Overall, I think it’s a very good book with lots of action and adventure. I would recommend this book.