The Emerald Stone is Maisun’s confident foray into the world of fiction

The Emerald Stone is the debut novel for young Umme Maisun, the youngest online educator of Bangladesh. At the age of just 11, she has managed to conquer the huge feat of writing an entire fantasy fiction novel, and having it published. What is even more commendable is the story she has shared, and the nuances with which she takes us on a spectacular journey with a girl named Lizzy.

This book is about a girl named Lizzy who wakes up in the Kingdom of Magic one night. This magical world is filled to the brim with wonderful creatures, such as a magnificent dragon. Lizzy quickly learns about the crisis at hand in this realm, that is the missing emerald stone. Thus, she and the partner she finds, decide to take this challenge up and make it a mission to find this stone.

As we move forward in the story, we meet a few interesting characters such as Christian, who we meet at a ball being held by the Queen. I found each of the characters we meet quite fascinating, with Estella, the evil witch, being my favourite. What I especially loved was how we were given reasons to care about each of these characters, be it the main character, the villain or even the supporting characters.

The story progresses through different settings, each more vivid than the last. Lizzy and Christian first travel to Queen Estella's palace, and then were left stranded at the fairy kingdom. They also come across a magic door that leads them directly to the Queen of the Kingdom of Magic.

Throughout the read, I was constantly surprised. Whether it be plot twists or strange turns in the character development of unsuspicious characters, the story was a rollercoaster ride, and as a reader, I was in for a treat.

What caught my eye from the very beginning though, were the illustrations and pictures that went with the book. Not only did they make the book more lively and vibrant with each page, but it also managed capture the essence of the plot and enhance the overall experience of reading the book. It allowed me to be intrigued from the very first page.

I will let you in on a little secret though, I had unfortunately skipped to the very last page, just a few pages into the book. Bad decision, I know. I even thought that I had completely ruined the surprise for myself, and consequently, the entire experience the book had to offer. However, I was proven wrong. Though I knew how the story ended, there was still an element of surprise and mystique waiting for me as I finished reading the story. In my opinion, the ending took the cake.

The writer is a sixth grader at DPS STS School Dhaka.