A Piece of the World Paperback – September 1, 2001

How can you write a story about a large rock and the people it attracts? Mildred Walker pulls it off. A small, quiet, happy story about the things we learn in life. Do yourself a favor and read it.

Christina Baker Kline needs no introduction but to my mind this book is her best work. Without a doubt, it ranks among the top 10 books I have read.

At the start of A PIECE OF THE WORLD, a 12-year-old girl named Calder is sent to live with her Grandmother in Weldon, Vermont. Calder's mother needs time to herself; she and Calder's father have just gotten a divorce. At first look, Weldon is horribly boring for Calder and so she decides to go on a hike to see some local scenery. It is then that she discovers a giant boulder set deep in the woods. She later learns that the rock is actually a serpentine boulder, which broke off from a giant glacier hundreds of thousands of years ago. Soon Calder becomes friends with a boy her age named Walt, whose father owns the wooded property, and Mr. Cooley, a kind old man and a retired geologist. Together, they try to save the rock from a rich man who wants to buy it, and from the Weldon Development Society, who want to turn the area into a tourist attraction.A PIECE OF THE WORLD, with a beautiful title and a sweet story, is simply written with memorable character. It is a very touching story with a satisfying ending. There are a few black and white drawings of some of the characters and scenery. A little old-fashioned, the novel's themes of friendship and ecological concern are still universal. Reviewed by Jean, student and reading diva

Mildred Walker wins my heart again with her story, "A Piece of the World." While my favorite is "Winter Wheat", this book stirs the heart. I want to reach in there and solve all the problems that are going on in the story, but alas, I cannot, so I eagerly turn the pages to see how Mildred Walker spins the story and am satisfied with the results. I am going to order more of her books and absorb myself in them.