Book Review: The Legend of the Cape May Diamond

 The Legend of the Cape May Diamond

By  Trinka Hakes Noble 

About The Book 

"At the southernmost tip of New Jersey, on a narrow point of land, lies the charming resort town of Caper May. Gently sheltering the Delaware Bay, the white sand beaches of this natural peninsula are sprinkled with stones of pure quartz crystal.

Formed by melting glaciers thousands of years ago, the Delaware
River flows some 200 miles down from its headquarters to spill into the Delaware Bay. And for thousands of years, fragments of pure crystal quartz have ridden the river, plucked from the mountains lining its banks. Polished and buffed as they tumble along, these once-assuming rock particles dazzle like gemstones when tossed onto Cape May's sandy shore. Beloved by beachcombers, these 'diamonds' are the daughters of the river, linking New Jersey's past and present.

Delving into the natural beauty and rich history of the Delaware River and New Jersey's famous coastline, storyteller Trinka Hakes Noble has crafted a wondrous, creative tale explaining the ancient origins of the Cape May diamond."

My Thoughts

This wonderful children's book, about the Lenape Tribes who lived peacefully along their beloved river, the Delaware River,  in many parts of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware,  remains a strong Native American legend of history.

The illustrations by E.B. Lewis are rich and colorful pictures painting the history of the Lenape Tribe. The poetic, mystical storytelling of Trinka Hakes Noble shares with us the legend of the mighty Delaware River moving its waters south to the Bay of Cape May. We discover that it takes two thousand years for these small pebbles to complete their travels downriver.

Later on in the story, we learn that a young Kechemeche boy named Ma-eh-hu-mund, One-Who-Gathers-Things, finds one of these 'precious daughters of Delaware,' glistening like teardrops in the sand.

It is said that one of these 'little-traveling stones' was used as a  seal of friendship (symbol of loyalty) between and Indian Chief, King Nummy and a settler Christopher Leaming. He has the stone fashioned and polished and it became known as the Cape May diamond... "This will please the river."

A favorite part:

"Like dutiful daughters the little stones did as the river asked. For thousands of years they journeyed along the river bottom, unseen. Over and over again the little stones were naturally scoured and burnished and polished by the rough riverbed, then washed clean by the slow-moving currents until they began to shine like gems."

I love the book! ***** stars.

Happy Fourth of July!






“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis