Every girl dreams of being part of the line – the chosen seven who tunnel deep into the mountain to find the harvest. No work is more important.
Jena is the leader of the line – strong, respected, reliable. And – as all girls must be – she is small; years of training have seen to that. It is not always easy but it is the way of things. And so a girl must wrap her limbs, lie still, deny herself a second bowl of stew. Or a first.
But what happens when one tiny discovery makes Jena question the world she knows? What happens when moving a single stone changes everything?
megmckinlay.com
“Her heart pounded, a caged thing beating wildly in her chest.”
“The lightest finger-touch, a whisper all its own.”
“The smallest seed of doubt could grow so easily, split a girl open.”
“There were always signs, if you cared to read them.”
“These things could not be undone, but the passage of time had softened the transgressions of the past.”
“This was the beginning of panic. She had seen it before - had watched it grow from a moment’s weakness and then spiral on and on, feeding on itself until it was beyond any control.”
“It was possible, after all, to be too close to a thing. By standing in the center of it, to make it invisible.”
goodreads.com
Meg McKinlay is a children’s writer and poet. She has published seventeen books for children, ranging from picture books through to young adult novels, and a collection of poetry for adults. Her work has won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, the Queensland Literary Award, the Davitt Award for Crimewriting and the Aurealis Award for Speculative Fiction and been shortlisted for numerous other awards. Her latest titles are Catch a Falling Star and Let Me Sleep, Sheep!, both published in 2019.
https://megmckinlay.com/
‘… a powerful, disarming novel set to become a modern classic in middle grade fiction.’
– Judges’ Report, 2015 Queensland Literary Awards
‘… ranges from dystopia to historical fiction and even, at times, a sci-fi influenced otherworldly setting, but it comes together in unexpected and deeply satisfying ways. […] In addition to the book’s compelling story, McKinlay’s writing style is brilliantly poetic and spare, a perfect fit for this world …’
– The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
‘… an engaging, beautifully written novel that manages to pose big questions about gender and power, and thoroughly entertain. This is a quietly powerful, polished story for readers aged eight and above.’
– Frances Atkinson, Books+Publishing
‘… limned in spare prose but completely convincing, and an original setting that is specific in its every detail and mythic in its effect. The first sentence induces claustrophobia, and it never lets up as tension builds.’
– Sarah Ellis, The Horn Book Magazine
‘A Single Stone is a beautiful and delicate novel that tackles some big questions about gender and power in an interesting manner, entertaining the reader. With body image, women’s roles in society, and government corruption all part of this powerful novel hopefully this book gets young adults talking about these important issues.’
– Katherine Dretzke, Readings
‘This beautifully written, haunting novel warns of the consequences of blind following, and shows the important difference between appearance and truth. This is award-winning McKinlay’s best yet.’
– writingWA
‘A beautifully written, quiet adventure that takes you spelunking into questions of gender and power.’
– Michael Earp, Goodreads
A Single Stone deals in themes of power, the environment and identity in nuanced ways. Girls are raised to shape their bodies through controlled eating, self-sacrifice and submission to the group. It deals with themes of conformity, belief systems, manipulation and what happens when belief systems are challenged.
