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The Apple-Stone
It was an odd-looking apple —dull yellow and crinkled all over with age— but it had a nice smell. And, as they soon learned, that's not all it had. "It's Magic," said Missie. The others— her older brother Jeremy, her sister Jo, and their cousins, Douglas and Nigel—scoffed. BUT..."A very sensible thing to say," said the apple stone, and went on to admit modestly that, "One touch from me animates the inanimate." As good as its word, the apple stone, with its remarkable and sometimes dangerous talent, led the five of them into one incredible adventure after another with things that were never meant to be alive: the leopard-skin rug, a model rocket ship, and a bookend in the shape of an elephant, to mention only a few. Lots of surprises and zany humor highlight this charming fantasy, in which the true-to-life quality of the gang— bossy Jeremy, Missie, Jo, and the quarreling cousins—adds to the fun.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1965
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About the author
Nicholas Stuart Gray
42 books41 followersNicholas Stuart Gray (23 October 1922, Scotland - 17 March 1981) was a British actor and playwright, perhaps best known for his work in children's theatre in England. He was also an author of children's fantasy; he wrote a number of novels, a dozen plays, and many short stories. Neil Gaiman has written that Gray "is one of those authors I loved as a boy who holds up even better on rereading as an adult". Many other modern fantasy authors, such as Hilari Bell, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Kate Forsyth, Cassandra Golds, Katherine Langrish, Sophie Masson, and Garth Nix, cite Gray's work as something they enjoyed as children.
Perhaps his best-known books are The Seventh Swan and Grimbold's Other World. Gray often produced adaptations or continuations of traditional fairy tales and fantasy works, as in his Further Adventures of Puss in Boots. His The Stone Cage is a re-telling of Rapunzel from a cat's point of view. Over The Hills to Fabylon is about a city whose king has the ability to make it fly off across the mountains if he feels it is in danger.
Gray maintained a long-term collaborative relationship with set designer and illustrator Joan Jefferson Farjeon (sister of Eleanor Farjeon and Harry Farjeon); she supplied the costume and scenic designs for many of the theatrical productions of his plays, as well as the illustrations of his books.
---from wikipedia
Perhaps his best-known books are The Seventh Swan and Grimbold's Other World. Gray often produced adaptations or continuations of traditional fairy tales and fantasy works, as in his Further Adventures of Puss in Boots. His The Stone Cage is a re-telling of Rapunzel from a cat's point of view. Over The Hills to Fabylon is about a city whose king has the ability to make it fly off across the mountains if he feels it is in danger.
Gray maintained a long-term collaborative relationship with set designer and illustrator Joan Jefferson Farjeon (sister of Eleanor Farjeon and Harry Farjeon); she supplied the costume and scenic designs for many of the theatrical productions of his plays, as well as the illustrations of his books.
---from wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 4, 2021
My review: http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/202...
Nesbit-like fantasy set in England. Four children, Jeremy, Jo and their cousins Douglas and Nigel, find the apple-stone inside a withered apple in an orchard. The apple-stone's magic brings things to life, including bookends resembling elephants, a lost glove, a stone gargoyle, a feather boa, a broom, a stone ball, a cage of butterflies, a toy rocket, a rug and so on, with unexpected and unnerving results (some scary aspects).
Nesbit-like fantasy set in England. Four children, Jeremy, Jo and their cousins Douglas and Nigel, find the apple-stone inside a withered apple in an orchard. The apple-stone's magic brings things to life, including bookends resembling elephants, a lost glove, a stone gargoyle, a feather boa, a broom, a stone ball, a cage of butterflies, a toy rocket, a rug and so on, with unexpected and unnerving results (some scary aspects).
February 22, 2018
This story is on the model of E. Nesbit's tales, but written 60 years later. I felt the author was much less successful at using Nesbit's model than Edward Eager was, though it may just be that I read Nesbit and Eager when I was more accepting.
In any event, I didn't like this very much. Part of it was the narrator: I found Jeremy, the oldest brother, to be overbearing and pompous, which was a big problem. The other kids were pretty one note: responsible sister Jo, impetuous sister Missy, artistic temperamental cousin Nigel (I guess that's two notes for Nigel?), rapscallion cousin Douglas. I liked Missy and Nigel better than Jo and Douglas, and I liked Jo and Douglas better than Jeremy.
With the apple stone, the children can bring things to life (with certain restrictions, though they push the boundaries), but the magic only lasts until they fall asleep. The story works hard to make up for that automatic de-tensioner by having scary-dangerous situations, but those were more distressing than heart-pounding, though the one with the Guy Fawkes Guy was pretty genuinely scary. In general I preferred the humorous moments--like with the giant sheep.
The story wraps up when the author decides we've had enough random adventures. The last adventure was a good one--but it also added ridiculous drama within the last few pages.
Ah well. It seems like it's a fun story if you read it at the right time of life or in a less persnickety frame of mine.
In any event, I didn't like this very much. Part of it was the narrator: I found Jeremy, the oldest brother, to be overbearing and pompous, which was a big problem. The other kids were pretty one note: responsible sister Jo, impetuous sister Missy, artistic temperamental cousin Nigel (I guess that's two notes for Nigel?), rapscallion cousin Douglas. I liked Missy and Nigel better than Jo and Douglas, and I liked Jo and Douglas better than Jeremy.
With the apple stone, the children can bring things to life (with certain restrictions, though they push the boundaries), but the magic only lasts until they fall asleep. The story works hard to make up for that automatic de-tensioner by having scary-dangerous situations, but those were more distressing than heart-pounding, though the one with the Guy Fawkes Guy was pretty genuinely scary. In general I preferred the humorous moments--like with the giant sheep.
The story wraps up when the author decides we've had enough random adventures. The last adventure was a good one--but it also added ridiculous drama within the last few pages.
Ah well. It seems like it's a fun story if you read it at the right time of life or in a less persnickety frame of mine.
February 22, 2018
This story is on the model of E. Nesbit's tales, but written 60 years later. I felt the author was much less successful at using Nesbit's model than Edward Eager was, though it may just be that I read Nesbit and Eager when I was more accepting.
In any event, I didn't like this very much. Part of it was the narrator: I found Jeremy, the oldest brother, to be overbearing and pompous, which was a big problem. The other kids were pretty one note: responsible sister Jo, impetuous sister Missy, artistic temperamental cousin Nigel (I guess that's two notes for Nigel?), rapscallion cousin Douglas. I liked Missy and Nigel better than Jo and Douglas, and I liked Jo and Douglas better than Jeremy.
With the apple stone, the children can bring things to life (with certain restrictions, though they push the boundaries), but the magic only lasts until they fall asleep. The story works hard to make up for that automatic de-tensioner by having scary-dangerous situations, but those were more distressing than heart-pounding, though the one with the Guy Fawkes Guy was pretty genuinely scary. In general I preferred the humorous moments--like with the giant sheep.
The story wraps up when the author decides we've had enough random adventures. The last adventure was a good one--but it also added ridiculous drama within the last few pages.
Ah well. It seems like it's a fun story if you read it at the right time of life or in a less persnickety frame of mine.
In any event, I didn't like this very much. Part of it was the narrator: I found Jeremy, the oldest brother, to be overbearing and pompous, which was a big problem. The other kids were pretty one note: responsible sister Jo, impetuous sister Missy, artistic temperamental cousin Nigel (I guess that's two notes for Nigel?), rapscallion cousin Douglas. I liked Missy and Nigel better than Jo and Douglas, and I liked Jo and Douglas better than Jeremy.
With the apple stone, the children can bring things to life (with certain restrictions, though they push the boundaries), but the magic only lasts until they fall asleep. The story works hard to make up for that automatic de-tensioner by having scary-dangerous situations, but those were more distressing than heart-pounding, though the one with the Guy Fawkes Guy was pretty genuinely scary. In general I preferred the humorous moments--like with the giant sheep.
The story wraps up when the author decides we've had enough random adventures. The last adventure was a good one--but it also added ridiculous drama within the last few pages.
Ah well. It seems like it's a fun story if you read it at the right time of life or in a less persnickety frame of mine.
July 27, 2010
I read this book at least 20 years ago, and it has remained one of my absolute favorite books. It's about a group of children who find a magic stone inside an apple that brings things to life (statues, scarecrows, a feather boa, that sort of thing) and it's so wonderfully written and sweet and sometimes a little sad...I can't say enough nice things about it.
AND, having just reread it for the first time in YEARS, I have to say it's aged VERY well. And I completely forgot how clever the conversations are. This is definitely not a kids book, it's at least a young-adult novel, because the cleverness of some of the comments would go right over a younger readers head. It's just delightful, and very very British, which I ALSO forgot. Amazing, a very fun read.
AND, having just reread it for the first time in YEARS, I have to say it's aged VERY well. And I completely forgot how clever the conversations are. This is definitely not a kids book, it's at least a young-adult novel, because the cleverness of some of the comments would go right over a younger readers head. It's just delightful, and very very British, which I ALSO forgot. Amazing, a very fun read.
November 30, 2010
Very much along the lines of an E. Nesbit children's fantasy novel plot, and just as good! Actually maybe even better! I would say that my favorite full-length E. Nesbit books are probably Wet Magic and The Enchanted Castle and I would say that The Apple Stone is even better than The Enchanted Castle. It is also similar in some respects (although less so) to the wonderful, fabulous Green Knowe series of children's fantasies (of which The Children of Green Knowe is the first and The River at Green Knowe my favorite). I'm not sure why N. S. Gray is so obscure here in America even now when spooky fantasies are half the intermediate market. I've only been able to get my hands on a few of his books, and they are magnificent. Much better than Alan Garner and as sophisticated as Susan Cooper if not as epic. I also particularly recommend Gray's Grimbold's Other World.
January 20, 2009
Oh wow, I had NO idea that the same author who wrote "The Seventh Swan" also wrote "The Apple Stone". Well he did a much better job with this one, because this is one of the best children's stories out there.
A group of young relatives find a magical stone that can bring things to life. AND the stone happens to be alive, and has a kind of snarky attitude, so it tends to let the children know exactly what it thinks about their projects, which are believably small ("Let's bring this fur-rug to life to see what animal it was made from," or "We brought to life the stuffed bird that was decorating our terrifying aunt's hat, and now it's flown off and she's going to pitch a fit.") In the end it's fun, and a tiny bit sad.
(This, by the way, will always be remembered as the first "quest" book. Ie: my sister read PART of it and told me about it, and then we couldn't find another copy for the longest time. See my review of "The Jeremy Mouse Book" for another book I obsessed about for ages.)
A group of young relatives find a magical stone that can bring things to life. AND the stone happens to be alive, and has a kind of snarky attitude, so it tends to let the children know exactly what it thinks about their projects, which are believably small ("Let's bring this fur-rug to life to see what animal it was made from," or "We brought to life the stuffed bird that was decorating our terrifying aunt's hat, and now it's flown off and she's going to pitch a fit.") In the end it's fun, and a tiny bit sad.
(This, by the way, will always be remembered as the first "quest" book. Ie: my sister read PART of it and told me about it, and then we couldn't find another copy for the longest time. See my review of "The Jeremy Mouse Book" for another book I obsessed about for ages.)
April 29, 2009
Three Devon siblings and their two Scottish cousins find an ancient and powerful entity in their apple orchard. Reminiscent of the stories of E. Nesbitt or Edward Eager, albeit with some darker notes.
June 30, 2015
Be careful what you wish for. Somewhat in the tradition of Five Children and It, but with an odder wish-granter, and a greater sense of peril.
July 16, 2019
I hadn't come across this author before but found a version by one of my favourite narrators Kara Shallenberg - Kay Ray reads. It is very reminiscent of elements of books by authors such as E Nesbit, Edward Eager and Susan Cooper but the feeling that disaster or tragedy were just around the corner kept the story sharp. I got an odd feeling of familiarity and danger vying for the upper hand.
February 15, 2019
And a half. Well written but derivative. This author works best for me where the characters are fairy tale as while the story is fine I miss the depth and bite and class consciousness of an author such as Alan Garner. Still it started with a reference to Nineveh and I was visiting the brilliant Assyrian exhibition at the British museum only last week. Could my unconscious have used that to pick out a re-read after so many years?
May 25, 2022
Surprisingly deep story of children who gain the power to make things come to life. Powerful enough that I remembered the book 40 years after reading it.
February 10, 2025
An inferior copy of E. Nesbit’s Five Children and It.
June 29, 2015
This was a super cute book. I loved it, and my girls loved it at ages 6 and 8. There were some really thought provoking moments considering this was a children's book. I especially loved when they awakened that statue that only wanted peace. That was a particularly insightful conversation.
When they first found the apple stone and I learned that the power is to awaken things that are inanimate, I was thinking there is nothing useful you could possibly do with that. The resulting mischief was delightful however, and I believe the children learned an awful lot from the experience.
The characters are very realistic portrayal of children of different sorts and varying personalities. I would have loved to be their cousin and spend a summer at their house. I highly recommend this small novel to all children and adults alike.
For a free audio version, you can download it from the kayray reads to you podcast.
When they first found the apple stone and I learned that the power is to awaken things that are inanimate, I was thinking there is nothing useful you could possibly do with that. The resulting mischief was delightful however, and I believe the children learned an awful lot from the experience.
The characters are very realistic portrayal of children of different sorts and varying personalities. I would have loved to be their cousin and spend a summer at their house. I highly recommend this small novel to all children and adults alike.
For a free audio version, you can download it from the kayray reads to you podcast.
August 31, 2015
Amusing fantasy story about a family who find a magic stone that can bring inanimate objects to life, but luckily only until sunset. This causes some interesting situations - like the distraught lost glove frantic because it can't find it's partner, the stone ball (slow but not stupid) and the mischievous gargoyle from the church, not to mention the Guy who wants to burn things, and the stone effigy of the knight. The variety of things brought to life give the children some interesting and often funny adventures. The children themselves are amusing characters, especially the two feuding Scottish cousins - a Campbell and a Macdonald.
February 16, 2018
I love it still. I can't remember the first time I read this whimsical fantasy of 4 English children who luck into the ancient Apple-stone, which can make the inanimate alive. There's flashes of darkness, the mad guy/Guy Fawkes, effigy, seeking fire, the powerful Quetzalcoatl, and the sweetness of the boy-turned-demon-turned gargoyle, rescued from misery, the rocket that was alive, and the rest. Of course, magic comes with a price. Lovely book.
I didn't even know I had a first edition from the UK, sold originally for 15 shillings.
I didn't even know I had a first edition from the UK, sold originally for 15 shillings.
June 3, 2011
This was a cute book for tweens and people who like sweet innocent books with some witty humor. I decided to listen to Kara Shallenberg (my favorite Livrivox reader) read this book since it is difficult to find.
October 8, 2011
Ah, The Apple-Stone. One of my favourite books from my childhood. Why does no-one write books like this anymore?
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews