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The Lost Stone of SkyCity
Sunaya’s peaceful village life is turned upside down when a simple mountain mission turns into a death-defying quest for survival.
Winter treks to summer pastures, mythical Ice-People that are scarily real, avalanches, ice falls, power plays, mysterious magic and surprising friendships – it seems not everything in life is set in stone ...
Winter treks to summer pastures, mythical Ice-People that are scarily real, avalanches, ice falls, power plays, mysterious magic and surprising friendships – it seems not everything in life is set in stone ...
240 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
About the author
H.M. Waugh
5 books21 followersHM Waugh is a children’s author, educator and environmental scientist with a long-term love of wild places and outdoor adventures. She has been kidnapped twice, handled dragons for a job, and dreams of one day blasting into space. Her books mix humour, danger and friendship with a dash of science and imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 10, 2019
What I love about this book…
The protagonist is a likeable strong female character, and an excellent role model for kids today.
I can pronounce all the characters names even though The Lost Stone of SkyCity is a fantasy novel.
I love the inclusion of goat (goatals) who are an integral part of the story and Sunaya’s genuine fondness for the animals shines through.
This book is special to me because the author is one of my writing buddies. That aside, I love the book because it is beautifully written: “The pass is blanketed by snow, buffeted by the wind. Lost are the slabs of golden rock I sunbake on in summer. I’m glad for the clouds that hide the sun, everything is blinding enough already. When I turn around, my world is arrayed below me. White bleeding to icy brown under the heavy snow clouds. My eyes follow the weave of the stream down until it knits with the smear of our village. Very far away. Too far to make it back before nightfall.”
Waugh’s love of wild places and the natural world stand out in the writing: “I feel the mountain. Beneath me. Above me. Around me. I am the mountain, and Praseep is as well. There’s a connectivity that pulses through everything up here.”
The challenges related to the final quest in the book are related to character strengths including strength, courage, resilience, compassion, and fortitude. The author researched the psychological traits which help kids to build resilience and be happy and it is wonderful to see them reflected throughout the story.
The pacing in the book is sure to keep younger readers hooked until the very last page.
I admire great book covers, and I cannot lie I think the cover for The Lost Stone of SkyCity is particularly eye-catching.
A great adventure story for middle-grade readers.
The protagonist is a likeable strong female character, and an excellent role model for kids today.
I can pronounce all the characters names even though The Lost Stone of SkyCity is a fantasy novel.
I love the inclusion of goat (goatals) who are an integral part of the story and Sunaya’s genuine fondness for the animals shines through.
This book is special to me because the author is one of my writing buddies. That aside, I love the book because it is beautifully written: “The pass is blanketed by snow, buffeted by the wind. Lost are the slabs of golden rock I sunbake on in summer. I’m glad for the clouds that hide the sun, everything is blinding enough already. When I turn around, my world is arrayed below me. White bleeding to icy brown under the heavy snow clouds. My eyes follow the weave of the stream down until it knits with the smear of our village. Very far away. Too far to make it back before nightfall.”
Waugh’s love of wild places and the natural world stand out in the writing: “I feel the mountain. Beneath me. Above me. Around me. I am the mountain, and Praseep is as well. There’s a connectivity that pulses through everything up here.”
The challenges related to the final quest in the book are related to character strengths including strength, courage, resilience, compassion, and fortitude. The author researched the psychological traits which help kids to build resilience and be happy and it is wonderful to see them reflected throughout the story.
The pacing in the book is sure to keep younger readers hooked until the very last page.
I admire great book covers, and I cannot lie I think the cover for The Lost Stone of SkyCity is particularly eye-catching.
A great adventure story for middle-grade readers.
September 7, 2019
I loved the inventiveness of this quest fantasy but sorry I really don't like the cover. I hope readers (10+) will pick up this book even if the cover does not appeal to them. Sunaya is a wonderful, strong determined girl. She is compassionate and intuitive.
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April 16, 2020Stayed up past midnight to finish this :-)
April 17, 2023
Don't judge a book by its cover! Fast paced well written adventure. Sunaya, our lead female protagonist is appealing in that she is down to earth, practical and fully understands who she is and the world she lives in.
One of my favourite quotes from the book: "Father must have know this trek would be risky, but surely he wouldn't have made us go if he'd thought it would be like this. He loves those gotals (goats)."
One of my favourite quotes from the book: "Father must have know this trek would be risky, but surely he wouldn't have made us go if he'd thought it would be like this. He loves those gotals (goats)."
January 27, 2021
Really loved the language in this book. In an adventure fantasy, the setting usually affects the protagonists voice and can bog down the dialogue but the wit and dry humour was upbeat and contemporary. My year 4’s loved it too!
May 26, 2020
Adventure, friendship, and fantasy worlds! My kind of story
April 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this. A great main character, and a very convincing world. Plus the gotals are gorgeous.
June 16, 2022
This is a brilliant debut fantasy perfect for confident middle-grade readers who love complex characters, twisty plots and deep-dive world-building. Loved it! Perfect winter reading :-)
January 26, 2021
My first 5-star read of 2021! I set myself a goal of reading one Middle Grade book every month of this year, and I'm so glad I picked this one up first. Australian author H.M. Waugh has given us a main character with a distinct and engaging voice and an adventure that is by turns funny, thrilling and moving. I loved Sunaya from the beginning paragraph. Her world is fully realised, too, and the writing is terrific. I saw where this was going fairly early on (not unusual in children's books if you're an adult) but enjoyed the journey thoroughly, especially Sunaya's special ability, which is beautifully evoked. In fact, I can't think of a single negative thing to say. H.M. Waugh is currently working on a sci-fi Middle Grade novel set on a future Mars, and I can't wait to read it.
December 20, 2020
A beautifully written and fast paced adventure story with a strong female protagonist.
A story about friendship, adventure, mystery, and snow covered mountains. Highly recommended for middle grade readers.
A story about friendship, adventure, mystery, and snow covered mountains. Highly recommended for middle grade readers.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews