Bring a brown bag lunch and discuss “Stones from the River” by Ursula Hegi. The first paragraph reveals Trudi Montag’s praying to grow (she’s a “Zwerg,” a dwarf). Her story is the voice of anyone who has tried to fit in despite being different. Eventually, she learns that all humans share being different in some way. Critics hailed the novel as timeless and unforgettable, the story of ordinary people living in extraordinary times (1915-1952). It is set in Germany where Hegi lived until the age of 18.