Lost Boy

by Linda Newbery

New house, new school, new friends–but Matt Lanchester knows it won’t all be that easy when he moves to the town of Hay-on-Wye. Almost as soon as he arrives, he is drawn into a mystery when he sees a roadside memorial marked by a little wooden cross with the initials M.L. carved into it. His initials! Then he meets Robbo and Tig and Old Wil Jones and his wife, Gwynnie. There’s history here and a well-kept village secret–and Matt is desperate to find out more.

Genres: Young Adult, Ghosts, Mystery, Realistic Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2005

About the author

Linda Newbery's latest novel for adults is THE ONE TRUE THING. She has published widely for readers of all ages, and is a Costa Prize category winner with SET IN STONE, a young adult Victorian mystery. She has twice been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, with THE SHELL HOUSE and SISTERLAND.

With friends Adele Geras and Celia Rees, Linda hosts the literary blog WRITERS REVIEW, which features reviews, recommendations, interviews with authors and insights from booksellers.

Linda is an active campaigner on animal and environmental issues and has published a guide to compassionate living: THIS BOOK IS CRUELTY FREE - ANIMALS AND US.

She lives in rural Oxfordshire.

Reviews

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For an eye-blink, in the dusk, he thought he saw the grey shape of a dog by the cottage gate, watchful, guarding. But when he stopped the bike to turn round properly for a better look, there was nothing there at all."

I... have a lot of thoughts about this book. It wasn't what I expected, but not in a bad way. I picked this up because I wanted a spooky-ish book because Halloween is coming, and even though I don't really celebrate it, I've been in the mood for creepy books. This fit that somewhat... but not quite like I thought.

This is the story of Matt Lanchester, who has recently moved to a new town in Wales so that his parents can open a bookshop/B&B. The best of his new friends lives a ways away, and thus, with a school holiday beginning, he finds himself hanging out with boys he isn't entirely comfortable with.

The holiday changes completely when, falling off his bike, he comes across a roadside marker carved with his own initials. Turns out the M.L. on the tree actually belonged to Martin Lloyd, who was killed in a tragic accident years before. Matt feels a strong connection to Martin, one he can't quite explain.

All in all, honestly, I think this book tried to cram too many storylines in not enough pages. The ending wasn't completely satisfying; while it did answer some questions, it didn't answer them all. Why didn't we get any closure on the Owen... thing? Did Fen get help with her problems? What did Tommy Jones have to do with anything? There just seemed like there were a lot of loose ends left dangling and I'M CONFUSED.

But that said, I enjoyed myself while reading this. I /flew/ through it, and I don't think I've ever read a book set in Wales before this, so that was neat. So would I recommend it? Yeah, I might. If someone's looking for a middle-grade mystery set in Wales with a slightly eerie and kind of unsettling feel to it, this is one for them.

Four stars from me!

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost Boy is one of the worst books I have ever read. It was hard to read and used wierd british language that made it hard to understand. It is about this kid who is riding his bike down the street and when he turns the corner, he thinks he sees a car and swerves out of control. It was really only his imagination. But when he comes to a stop, he finds this tree with his initials carved in it. The tree is a tombstone. Then he meets these kids who hate this old man. The old man is really nice, but he is all alone. The old man's mother is in the hospital and her name is Gwen. His only family left is his dog which is a collie. The old man goes to the library where lost boy's mom works. Lost boy is afraid of the old man. The old man leaves a book there and it's about this kid who goes up this hill and gets lost and finds a dog named Gwen (but it is really a ghost). He gets spooked out. The kid decides to go see the old man to find out if what the other kids are saying is true-- did he really kill a kid? He has tea with him, and the old man told him never to come back. He goes back anyway the next day to tell the old man he was sorry for asking personal questions. The old man's mother Gwen comes home that day, but his dog is now lost. The old man goes out to look for the dog. Lost boy tries to help him. He sees a dog, but it is really the ghost dog from the book that the old man left at the library. The ghost dog leads him to the old man. The old man is close to death when he finds him. Some mean kids had taken the old man's dog and hid him in a shack. Some of lost boy's friends find the dog and give him back to the old man. Lost boy finds out that the tombstone with the initials "ML" is the grave of the kid that the old man ran over and killed by accident.

[Karlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When his family moves to a new town, Matt falls in with the wrong boys at first. His initials are the same as those of a boy who was killed in a biking accident, and he comes to believe that there is a ghost. The supernatural idea is treated subtly in this realistic novel. The adult characters are well done and the issues Matt must deal with are resolved as he learns when to consult others and when to keep a secret.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT WAS GOOD...IT HAD GOOD WORDING. THE BOOK CONTAINS A CREEPY OLD DUDE WHO THE MAIN CHARACTER THINK HE WILL KILL HIM

[Jan Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging and comforting in the fashion of Madeleine L'Engle: siblings fight but have each other's backs, parents care and allow distance for their children to grow, situations become frightening but work out.

[Britt Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read with kids

[Booknerd · Rating 1 out of 5]

Badly written.

[Chelsea Serrano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really surprised me. I just bought it because I love the feel of the cover and the title is very intriguing. I'll admit I was a bit lost with my own personal life at that time and came across this beautiful book. When I read the prologue at the back I was hooked.

Coming across it was unintentional because I haven't really known the author before. However, it suddenly became my new favorite. How she captivates the reader and keeps them interested is just plain amazing. It's a simple story. In fact, it's a story that can be a bit predictable but she made it more interesting. More fun to read and not get boring. I just can't explain how much I've come to love this book.

I also love how it touches to topics that are often ignored just because it is universally known already. Like how we should not mix in with the wrong crowd, how we should not judge others so easily (like Matt hehe), how despite the fast pace of the life we're living now, we should take a break like Fen. Oh, and how Wil loves his son unconditionally. This book just reminded me that there are a lot more good people than the bad ones and how you will always have an option not to hang with people that are bad influences.

This is such a positive book to read even if the title seem a bit depressing. So give it a try if you haven't.

[Kyron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost Boy by Linda Newbery is an okay book. It didn't get my attention throughout the book. It's about a boy named Matt Lanchester that moves into a new town. When he rides his bike home he see his initials carved on a old tree. He is amazed to see his very own initials. The tree has a history to it too.Then he meets Robbo and Tig and Old Wil Jones and his wife, Gwynnie. There's a well kept village secret and Matt is desperate to find out more. His new friends like to taunt n taunting Wil - Wil, the murderer. Befriending Wil, and with a sense of a shadowy figure always close by, he learns about a tragedy in the past, helps set it straight and finally lay to rest the ghost of boy he feels he's come to know. I didn't like this book becausae I uasually like books about action or adventure. I would not recomnend this book to kids younger than 13 because it has a little bit of cursing in it.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is something of a ghost story. Matt has moved to the Welsh book town of Hay on Wye, and is cycling one spring day when he realises he has misjudged his speed and the road and is about to career out in front of an oncoming landrover. He closes his eyes... and minutes later finds he is fine and indeed that no such landrover went past. What is more, he is by a roadside memorial to someone with his own initials.

The mystery deepens and issues of friendship, bullying, family, and grief are intertwined in an enchanting tale that is well worth the time spent reading it.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Linda Newbery's novel "At the Firefly Gate" and really enjoyed it so I was impressed to read her other book "Lost Boy." The author has a way of weaving a tale together that brings the past to the present and entwines the characters and readers. Although not as pleasing as her first this book is an easy and quick read for kids and is enjoyable. I would reccomend it as a light mystery/ghost story.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm an extremely fast reader and can usually finish a 200 page book within 2-3 days if it really sparks my interest (sometimes even just one day). But this book took me like two weeks to finish which is a long time for me to be spending on a 200 page book.

The story meandered too much, it was hard to follow in places, and really only picked up by the last 30 or 40 pages. I would've abandoned this book had it not been for the fact that it was on our school's 6th grade summer reading list.

[carissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recommended Ages: grades 4-7

New house, new school, new friends–but Matt Lanchester knows it won’t all be that easy when he moves to the town of Hay-on-Wye. Almost as soon as he arrives, he is drawn into a mystery when he sees a roadside memorial marked by a little wooden cross with the initials M.L. carved into it. His initials! Then he meets Robbo and Tig and Old Wil Jones and his wife, Gwynnie. There’s history here and a well-kept village secret–and Matt is desperate to find out more.

[Melody · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a ghost story. Sort of. The central character may or may not be haunted by a dead kid. It's hard to care- the characters are all stock, cut from cardboard. The plot is recycled, and the prose merely adequate. I was disappointed by this book, though I did finish it just in case I'd guessed the ending wrong.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also a ghost story. Set in Wales.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the best book i ever read. some people hate the book. if they hate the book i hate them. its a great book.

[Jackie Bacani · Rating 3 out of 5]

although the story's kid-centric, adults alike will enjoy reading this novel. i loved it! especially Gwilym and Jacko the Dog, Matt Lanchester and Wil Jones. :-)

[Mrs. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a good message but was hard to track at times.