The Story of the Stone

Paul M. Fochtman

Illustrated by Gareth Brewster

Open the educators’ toolkit About the book
Pick up the stones. Drag, throw and rearrange them.
The book

A painted stone waiting at the door

In a world of stories where journeys run free
lived one of me and a family of we.

A child finds a painted stone by her door and wonders whether it is hers to keep or hers to share. The stone answers with a story about its family: cairn stones, pinning stones, breakwater stones, heart stones and more. Each one carries a quiet lesson about care, belonging and the strength we give one another.

Picture book for all ages11 kinds of stoneFirst edition 2026Frankfurt am MainISBN 978-3-00-087754-4

There is no Me in the Story of the Stone, only We.

Book spread: the girl kneels at her front door beside a painted stone, with the opening verse on a blue stone shape
Placeholder: where to buy or borrow the book, reading-aloud video, and a short note from Paul.
How the book came together

From a family keepsake to a book about belonging

The Story of the Stone began with small hands picking up stones on family journeys and a painted stone left quietly at a door. It grew, through many people, into a story about family, leadership and community.

  1. Stones on the journey

    A family tradition of picking up heart-shaped stones on their travels, keepsakes of time spent together.

    Story to add

  2. A speech

    Dr. Becky Jobes encouraged Paul to create a motivational speech built around the stones in our lives.

    Date & detail

  3. A story takes shape

    Alec Aspinwall, published author, coach and career “wingman”, helped turn the speech into a story.

    Story to add

  4. Painting the stones

    Gareth Brewster painted and designed every page, restarting more than once as the story and his vision grew.

    Process images

  5. Into print

    Published by Paul M. Fochtman in Frankfurt am Main and printed in Germany, first edition 2026.

    Launch details
Book spread: the girl paints bright stones on the beach, one among many
Painted texture sheetsPlaceholder for process photos
Early sketches and restartsPlaceholder for process photos
The collaboration

A book about stones, shaped by people

Like a dry-stone wall, every person here holds part of the weight.

Paul M. Fochtman

Author & publisher

Wrote the story from his family’s stones and his work in leadership and community at Frankfurt International School.

Gareth Brewster

Illustrator & book designer

Painted the collage stones and scenes and designed and laid out the book.

Dr. Becky Jobes

The spark

Encouraged the motivational speech that became this book “and so much more”.

Linda Westcott

Amplifier

Amplified the stories in many ways.

Alec Aspinwall

Coach & “wingman”

Published author and friend whose insight and creativity brought the story to life.

Wendy, Paige & Jack

Family

Their interest, journeys and traditions gave the story its first life.

Placeholder

A short quote from Paul and Gareth on working together goes here.

Frankfurt International School · 2025/26

The story behind a year of professional learning

How the idea of moving from “me” to “we” underpinned FIS’s professional development focus for 2025/26.

Each stone, a way to lead

The book’s stones offered staff a shared language for leadership and community.

Cairn stones · guiding

Small acts of kindness that keep others from getting lost.

Hopewell rocks · foundations

What strengthens us is often unseen.

Pinning stone · holding

Bearing hidden pressures to keep the wall steady through change.

Breakwater stones · calm

True strength can be a quieting force.

Painted stones · community

The movement from self to community.

Placeholder: the focus. The 2025/26 PD theme in FIS’s own words, who led it, and why a picture book was chosen as its starting point.
Placeholder: in practice. How the story was used: launch day, faculty meetings, coaching cycles, divisional work, student-facing moments.
Placeholder: voices. Two or three short quotes from staff, leaders or students.
The girl beside a cairn of balanced stones on the beach

August

Launch with all faculty
TBC

Term 1

Strand / activity
TBC

Term 2

Strand / activity
TBC

Term 3

Reflection & celebration
TBC

Educators’ toolkit

Eleven stones, eleven ways in

Discussion starters and activity ideas for every age, drawn from each stone in the book. Choose an age group to tailor the prompts.

Show prompts for
Lesson plans

Ready-to-teach sessions

Outlines for now. Full plans with objectives, timings and printables will follow.

Stone cardsPrintable, 11 cards
Discussion dicePrint & fold
Read-aloud guidePage-by-page
Staff session slides60-minute deck
Classroom activity

The stone circle

Move a stone into the circle to reveal its story and a question to talk about. Fill the circle and watch a “me” become a “we”.

Questions for

Pick up a stone

Drag any stone into the circle. Each one carries a different story.

0 of 11 in the circle
No mouse? Choose a stone
Together they glow