"The Wretched Stone" By: Chris Van Allsburg

The Wretched Stone was an interesting book, and I never expected it to take the turn that it did. The story is told through the captain's daily logs. The crew is enjoying the journey by entertaining each other with stories, jokes, and music. Eventually they spot an island, and although it isn't in the captain's charts they go explore the island because they are in need of food and water. The island is a strange place, and the only thing the crew finds is a large glowing rock. They bring the rock onto the boat, and it has a strange effect on the members of the crew.
The message in this book is subtle, but still very important. It wasn't until I really thought about the story that I understood the author's message. The glowing rock the crew finds symbolizes television. The crew becomes absorbed by the rock, and over time is turned into brainless apes who only stare at the rock. After a terrible ship wreck the stone loses its light. The captain decides to read to the crew and play violin. Over time the sailors return to their normal selves. It is only when we turn off the TV, and focus on other activities, such as reading and music, that we act like humans instead of lifeless TV watchers.
Unlike the other Chris Van Allsburg book I read this one has colorful illustrations. The pictures span across the pages, and only the left page contains a small box with text. Although the book doesn't say what the illustrations are made with they seem to be a mix of color pencil and pastel. I thought this book was interesting, and I can see adding it to my classroom library.