The Secret of the Desert Stone

The Cooper Kids Adventures #5

by Frank E. Peretti

Biblical archeologist Dr. Jacob Cooper arrives in Togwana with his children Jay and Lila and one goal-to discover the secret behind the two-mile-high Stone that has mysteriously appeared overnight. Who could have excavated, carved, and transported the colossal Stone? The Coopers' uneasiness soon turns into dread as they are watched and threatened by the country's new government and brutal dictator Id Nkromo.

Follow the Coopers as they race to solve the mystery of the desert stone!

Genres: Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Mystery, Childrens

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

FROM HIS WEBSITE:
With more than 12 million novels in print, Frank Peretti is nothing short of a publishing phenomenon and has been called “America’s hottest Christian novelist.”

Peretti is a natural storyteller who, as a youngster in Seattle, regularly gathered the neighborhood children for animated storytelling sessions. After graduating from high school, he began playing banjo with a local bluegrass group. He and his wife were married in 1972, and Peretti soon moved from touring with a pop band to launching a modest Christian music ministry. Peretti later spent time studying English, screen writing and film at UCLA and then assisted his father in pastoring a small Assembly of God church. In 1983, he gave up his pastoring position and began taking construction jobs to make ends meet. While working at a local ski factory, he began writing This Present Darkness, the book that would catapult him into the public eye. After numerous rejections from publishers and a slow start in sales, word-of-mouth enthusiasm finally lifted This Present Darkness onto a tidal wave of interest in spiritual warfare. The book appeared on Bookstore Journal’s bestseller list every month for more than eight years. Peretti’s two spiritual warfare novels, This Present Darkness (1998) and Piercing the Darkness (1989), captivated readers, together selling more than 3.5 million copies. The Oath was awarded the 1996 Gold Medallion Award for best fiction.

For kids, Peretti wrote The Cooper Kids Adventure Series (Crossways and Tommy Nelson), which remains a best-selling series for children with sales exceeding 1 million copies. In August 2000, Peretti released the hilarious children’s audiocassette series titled Wild and Wacky Totally True Bible Stories, reprising his role as Mr. Henry, the offbeat substitute Sunday School teacher found in two Visual Bible for Kids videos.

Peretti released his first-ever non-fiction book, The Wounded Spirit in 2000, which quickly became a best-seller. The book addresses the pain of “wounded spirits” and was written as a result of painful childhood experiences.

Frank Peretti and his wife, Barbara Jean, live in the Western U.S. In spite of sudden fame and notoriety, Frank still lives a simple, well-rounded life that includes carpentry, banjo making, sculpturing, bicycling and hiking. He is also an avid pilot.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good...but a bit strange.

EDIT: I enjoyed this better the second time around.

[Lovely Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

Mr.Cooper and the kids are flown to Africa to determine what a skyscraper-sized stone is, how it just appeared over night, and how to get rid of it…while the two peoples on either side of the mysterious stone are enemies

[Luisa Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

My twelfth birthday was definitely one for the books (figuratively and literally!). I think I got five book series to read - and this was one of them!

The Cooper Kids series are the perfect thrillers for a twelve year old - or at least for me when I was twelve. I would find myself starting to get decently spooked and wanting to put the book down, but at the same time unable to tear myself away. Uh, it was agony for sure, but it was sure fun agony, if you know what I mean. (My second go around of reading these as an adult has me smirking at my young self - I scared easily I guess, ha!).

Peretti does a fabulous job of taking a couple of Bible passages, mixing them with some pretend legends/superstitions and wrapping them up in a tween’s Indiana Jones styled adventure story.

I highly recommend these!

Ages: 10+

Cleanliness: there are rumors that a tribe practices cannibalism but they do not.

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[Angela R. Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Cooper Kids series so much.

[Joseph Brink · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one years ago and remember liking it!

[Joshua Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it is related to the bible kind of. God is trying to tell this native group who He is by protecting them with a stone that is in the middle of the pathway of a rebel army that is on the way to destroy them by teaching them about Jesus Christ. The chief wonders who is the one true God. Dr Cooper comes to investigate. A few soldiers have managed to get up and over the wall (including the commander) and captures Dr Cooper and his children. The stone gets larger and larger over a period of time is spreading over the plains where they live and so at first they decide to run away and then don't. They know the angles of where it was going to hit and travel to the village. Because the stone is growing, the army retreats. The stone ends up coming on top of them, crushing them. I liked this book because it has similarities to what we as Christians stand for.. For example, scripture supports us thru rough times and in the book, all the buildings have stones on each corner that rise up two and a half feet high to support them so when flooding happens there, they won't get flooded. Also, the book also symbolizes that Jesus took the price for us while we were still sinners.

[Ian Cooley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and a half stars

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread in May 2023

The drama! The action! The cheese! Is it biblical? No. Is it a classic? No. Is it the most skilled writing worthy of awards? No. But I liked it when I was a kid, and I can still appreciate it now.

Take it for what it is: Respects the reader enough to offer background, setup, and payoff. Fascinating settings with hints of complex culture. The two-dimensional characters give off a shade of something deeper. Lots of good hype in the third act. Indiana Jones-light. Good, clean fun. Glad my reread didn't destroy the nostalgia I have for the series.

This one is less action, more wandering around discussing the stories of an African tribe. Peretti's writing is still fun, but there's only so much you can do with... a big rock. The earthquakes and movement of the stone should have started much earlier in the book, and then'd we'd get a ticking clock. The duo of dictator + right-hand-man in local government is a repeat from the first book. Gone is the introspection and characterization we found in the fourth book. This one is more explicitly about sharing the gospel, which will alienate the nonChristian readers. I wonder if Peretti got complaints from Christians complaining the first four books weren't "Christian" enough.

On to book six: The Deadly Curse of Toco-Rey.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cooper Kids series by Frank Peretti

Recommend with some notes below.

I loved these as a kid! I don't remember how old I was when I read them, but the suggestion range on the cover is 10-14. Some of these are intense as kids books go so depending on the child some may ok earlier, but I think the stated range is probably accurate for most.

As an adult who just reread them, they aren't top tier literature. That's ok. They're still good reads & their aimed at kids. Not everything needs to be top tier.

One of my favorite things about the series is that it is solidly Christian. Not "oh we threw a prayer in over the meal so it's Christian" but scared: pray, thankful: pray, confused: pray for guidance, running for your life: pray as you run. But it's not hokey. It feels very real as a kid reading the books & is faith building!

The series is a mix of genres and this is where my age caution really comes from. If I had to categorize all of the books with one label is would be "Spiritual Thrillers (for kids)" though the adventure label definitely applies to all of them also. Breaking it out:

Book 1: Door in the Dragons Throat - spiritual thriller
Book 2: Escape from the Island of Aquarius - adventure/maybe a bit of science fiction ala Journey to the Center of the Earth
Book 3: Tombs of Anak - spiritual thriller
Book 4: Trapped at the Bottom of the Sea - adventure/"real life (unrealistic)" peril- this is the one book where you don't see the 3 Coopers getting along harmoniously & you see tensions and hurt feelings.
Book 5: Secret of the Desert Stone - adventure, definitely supernatural aspects but it's not a thriller
Book 6: Deadly Curse of Toco-Rey - thriller but not a spiritual thriller
Book 7: Legend of Annie Murphy - science fiction
Book 8: Flying Blind - adventure/realistic peril

As a kid the ones that stood out to me the most & were the scariest are books 1, 3, and 6. Book 7 was odd in a different way because of the time travel, but it wasn't scary. Book 8 was my least favorite as a kid - I almost (but not really) found it boring. That's just because they're not traveling anywhere this time. As an adult it's the only one of the books that brought tears to my eyes - it's much easier to create separation when you're looking at extremes and improbable situations like running for your life in an underground booby trapped tomb than something that feels more familiar like the possibility of an air plane crash.

If you're not familiar with Peretti please preread these books. They're pretty unique in Juevenile Fiction from my experience. If you are familiar with Peretti don't worry, he writes to kids just fine and while there are those spiritual thriller aspects theyre quite tame compared to his adult novels!

The Cooper Kids (age 13 & 14) are the only kids in the series, which I actually like & kids will too I think because they're given adult sized tasks and are responsible with them. The kids as well as thei father & various other adults pray & reference the Bible with regulararity.

The theme of the books is God is bigger, stronger, more powerful than any other religion or curse. He controls the earth. He convicts. He reveals. He works things for our good. Few kids books give that awe-some perspective in my opinion and I'm glad that these books tackle that.

[Siobhan Falen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Coopers are summoned to a country newly under a war-hungry dictator to investigate a mysterious stone, they have no idea what they're in for. The dictator is cruel, vicious, and enjoys killing those who stand in his way, or even just stand near him because. If the Coopers can't figure out the mystery of the desert stone and make it disappear, he may make them pay for it with their lives.

While this was still an interesting Cooper Kids tale, it felt forced. There was name-dropping in the beginning to remind us of the rest of the crew and then they weren't brought in at all later on. The whole experience could have been left off the story and more focus placed on later details.

I did enjoy though that we got to see Lila and Jay act like normal kids for once. Yay to interacting with other children.

Out of the series so far, this has been my least favorite. It's still written well, has great character development and an interesting storyline, but it feels like it forgot the previous books existed and this one choked you with the religious side. I've got three more left, hoping to enjoy them a bit more.

[Stephen Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a few years away, Peretti comes back to the Cooper Family Adventure series with a really interesting and atypical book in the series. This one finds the Coopers journeying to Africa after a mysterious stone several miles wide and almost two miles high literally appears overnight in a desolate area of wilderness. This is the most mystery oriented of the series and also the least intense in terms of violence or suspense or scares. The resolution to the mystery of where the massive stone came from is a kind of surprising one and, while this one was a little slow for me as a youngster, I now think it’s actually one of the more creative and interesting books in the series. Kudos for having a mysterious tribe of vicious cannibals set up to be a villainous force in the book and then having them . . . turn out to just be, you know, normal folks living a peaceful life in an isolated village. It kind of sets up for the book to go in a direction that, as an adult, you expect to be really racially insensitive and then turns that on its head in a nice way.

[Byron Lafayette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of the author and this series, been revisiting them after having read them as a kid. This book is odd, it’s a pretty decent story, but a really bad Cooper Kids Adventure. There is almost no action, mystery or thrills, for example one whole chapter is Jay Cooper discovering a Native friend invented an alphabet and they we get several pages of him sounding out letters.

It almost feels like this was perhaps a different story but Frank Peretti had a Cooper Kids deadline and tweaked the story to include them.

Had this been a stand alone story about missionaries reaching a lost tribe I would of liked it and rated it higher, but the first 4 Cooper Kids books set a high standard for the series and this book just does not live up to the previous stories or the excellent “Curse of Toco-Rey” which came next.

[Gretchen Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "The Secret of the Desert Stone," the Coopers travel to Africa to try to determine why a stone suddenly appeared. The Coopers are biblical archeologists, but in this book, they work with a scientist who is skeptical of God. That adds a bit of tension in this book.

I did appreciate how various connections were made in this story to two different warring tribes. And I loved the emphasis on that God can make a rock appear wherever He wants. This book definitely requires a bit more imagination since this plot could not happen without a miracle. That is why I am giving it a 4-star rating - it was not quite believable to me.

I listened to this series with my middle school son. I loved the author as a narrator. This book is perfect for ages 10-14.

[Lilia Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book explores how God chooses to reveal himself to people who are isolated from knowing his Word and plan of salvation. The Motosas are a tribe that worship God as the only God, as He has revealed Himself to the chief, and they have been waiting to hear His name and who is He is. When a giant stone shows up in the middle of the desert, they take it as a sign that God hears them and will provide them water. The Coopers are studying the stone when they encounter the Motosas and recognize that they are searching to know God.

The central theme of this book is faith, and the way that it was emphasized was encouraging and refreshing.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of Peretti's second quadrilogy of Cooper family adventures, this is the one that truly reminded me why this series so resonated with me as a kid. It begins with a captivating mystery, moves into some fun, Indiana-Jones-style adventure; and ultimately climaxes with a strong (albeit heavy handed) Christian message. As an adult, the resolution feels way too "pat," but for a kids' book, its fine. That's basically my review: borderline for adults, awesome for kids.

[Mathew Neahring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just discovered these 4 additional cooper kids books (I read the original 4 as a kid many times. Tombs of Anak was my favorite) I enjoyed this book, while they are a simple story line for kids, there is a lot of mystery and intrigue and a good focus on God's word in them. My son is going to really enjoy these I think.

[CindyHunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just for kids!!!

This book, as well as the other Cooper kids books are perfect for young and old alike. People everywhere know about God and His Son Jesus, they just need to believe and let Him in and change their life. This book like all of Frank Peretti's books, takes you on an awesome adventure you don't want to put it down until until the very last word!!!

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Jacob Cooper and his children Lila and Jay are summoned to Togwanno to study a huge stone that appeared in the desert overnight. They fly a plane to the top, but crash on the other side. They discover a village on the other side and visit fro a while. They discover some weird things there.
This book is great! I really liked it.

[Joshua Stormont · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is another page turner in the series. Peretti knows how to write a fine story that weaves adventure, truth, and a touching story together. The gospel is clearly presented in how in this adventure a large stone is used to destroy a wicked dictator and his government. Beautifully written. Well worth the read.

[Charles Kensinger]

I count this story as the best of the Cooper Kids Adventures that I have read to this point. Peretti knows how to construct a tale and create characters and situations. His Christian worldview is apparent in this book as in all of his others. The Cooper Kids Series is one for teen and preteen readers. Give them all a try.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first after I got this book I couldn’t get into it but one day I decided just to plow through it and after a chapter or so I got totally sucked into the story. I really regretted not just reading through the uninteresting part. This book is really good!!!!

[Shelli Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book my middle schoolers. This book has an adventure and bible-based theme. This was a great pick for my struggling readers. The book held their attention all the way till the end. They are looking forward to reading books in the rest of the series.

[TransparentFilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I have read this before but I honestly didn't remember anything. It was an enjoyable book. I recommend the entire series to anyone. Especially if you have a tween or young teen in the house.

[Charis Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one didn't hold my attention as much for some reason. And I felt like it missed something. There was an integral character added to the last book and she's no where to be found in this one.

[Charles Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great kids book explains the Gospel.....

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

4/2018 Listened to the audio version with my boys. These Cooper Kids Adventures expose you to different cultures & religions.

2018 - A Book by a Male Author

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the book a lot, the concept is great, keeps you guessing, but the ending of this one sort of bothers me. It felt particularly...far fetched or too perfect

[Elizabeth Bornstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very suspenseful and good.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slower than his other books, but still an enjoyable read overall.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. So much scripture written into the story. It was great.