Throughout The Ogress and the Orphans, books and stories mean different things. Overall, they represent how reading expands our minds so we can share ideas to better our world. The burning of the Library was the event that brought Stone-in-the-Glen’s troubles to light. Given how quickly the people responded to the Mayor, it is likely the town had problems and was lovely despite them. The loss of the Library stopped the sharing of ideas. Without books to read and a place to congregate, the people didn’t know how to be a community. The discussions spurred by the books the Ogress and orphans deliver in the final chapters show that people don’t need a specific place to meet. As long as there are ideas to share, anywhere can be a library.

Stories also represent the culture of a place. The tales the stone knows and that Elijah hears from the wood are the history of Stone-in-the-Glen and the people in its community, including the Ogress and Mayor. The Library allowed anyone to read these stories, but once the Library burned, only a few recalled the stories. This mirrors how stories are lost to history.