The Stone Cutter

Collins Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 4--7 edited by Cliff Moon. Top children's authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that your children will love to read, banded to help you choose the right book for every child. Practical teaching notes are included at the back of each book. The poor stone cutter sat and chipped at the rock. He wished he was a rich man. But was that REALLY what he wanted? This traditional story from Japan has been beautifully and simply retold by Sean Taylor. The familiar "grass is greener" theme is taken to its furthest limit before the stone cutter discovers he can be content by just being himself. The book's stunning illustrations, by Serena Curmi, effortlessly capture the traditional Japanese setting. Pages 14 and 15 feature a flowchart tracking the stone cutter's transformation. This offers children the opportunity to recap their comprehension of the story and retell it in their own words.