The Stone Child

by Dan Poblocki

What if the monsters from your favorite horror books were real?

Eddie Fennicks has always been a loner, content to lose himself in a mystery novel by his favorite author, Nathaniel Olmstead. That’s why moving to the small town of Gatesweed becomes a dream come true when Eddie discovers that Olmstead lived there before mysteriously disappearing thirteen years ago. Even better, Eddie finds a handwritten, never-before-seen Nathaniel Olmstead book printed in code and befriends Harris, who’s as much an Olmsteady as he is. But then the frightening creatures of Olmstead’s books begin to show up in real life, and Eddie’s dream turns into a nightmare. Eddie, Harris, and their new friend, Maggie, must break Olmstead’s code, banish all gremlins and monster lake-dogs from the town of Gatesweed, and solve the mystery of the missing author, all before Eddie’s mom finishes
writing her own tale of terror and brings to life the scariest creature of all.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction, Middle Grade

288 pages, Library Binding

First published August 25, 2009

About the author

Author of The Stone Child, The Nightmarys, The Ghost of Graylock, and the Mysterious Four series,The Haunting of Gabriel Ashe, and The Book of Bad Things.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for kids who will likely become the next generation of adult horror readers. It's well written and has a few nice twists that should keep them interested. The plot is well-paced and spooky, and some of the monsters are quite scary. Because of that, I wouldn't recommend this one as a bedtime story to anyone under 12 or 13. Well, unless your kid is one of those rare few who doesn't already think there are monsters under the bed.

2012 Update
My 12 year old son just read this book, and really liked it. In fact, he actually asked me if I would go get The Nightmarys for him to read next.
He never asks me to get him a specific book. Score one for Mom!

[°H∆di§° · Rating 5 out of 5]

از این نویسنده قبلا تیمارستان متروک رو خونده بودم و سبک و قلمشو دوست داشتم.

داستان راجع به پسر بچه ای به نام ادی هست که با پدر عتیقه فروش و مادر نویسنده اش به شهر گیتزوید نقل مکان میکنند. این شهر از قضا شهر نویسنده ی مورد علاقه ی ادی به نام آلمستد هم هست که سیزده سال قبل بدون هیچ ردی پایی مثل داستان های ترسناکش ناپدید شده.
ادی در همون لحظه ی ورود به شهر موجودات عجییو غریبی میبینه که تو داستان های ترسناک آلمستد هستن. کنجکاو میشه که راز ورود اون ها رو به دنیای واقعی کشف کنه اونم به کمک دوستانی که تازه باهاشون آشنا شده به نام هریس و مگی.
روند داستان و ترجمه روون و جذاب بود‌ وخسته ات نمیکرد.

[AquaMoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my 33 years as a compulsive (boarderline obsessive) reader, I have, to date, only read three books that have really and truly creeped me out:

1. The first was "Wait Till Helen Comes," by Mary Downing Hahn, which I read in 5th grade.

2. The second was "Bag of Bones," by Stephen King, which I read in college.

3. The third was "The Stone Child," by Dan Poblocki, which I just finished.

What made these books scary where other horror/gothic wannabe books fell short of the mark? What was it about these books that sent a genuine chill down my spine and made me wish for my childhood nightlight? Well-written as they are, the thing that sets these books apart from the typical scary story is the author's heavy dependence on the reader's imagination to run wild, allowing them to see movements in the corner of their eyes, to transform the everyday noises around them into approaching footsteps. A subtly spooky book that tickles the imagination is far better than one that takes the Buckets-O-Blood and Gallons-O-Guts approacl.

"The Stone Child" offered a particularly delicious chill, something I hadn't gotten out of a book (or movie, for that matter) in several years. In it, young Eddie moves to the town of Gatesweed, a town where his favorite horror author, Nathaniel Olmstead, was rumored to have lived--and mysteriously disappeared. It isn't long before a mysterious coded manuscript (written by Olmstead?) is discovered. As Eddie and his friends begin to decode the work, strange monsters begin appearing, monsters straight from the pages of Olmstead's books. Something truly sinister does not want the children to finish reading the manuscript--and it will do anything to stop them from continuing. Will Eddie and his friends discover the secret of the coded manuscript and find a way to banish the monsters? Or will the most evil of all Olmstead's creations be made a reality?

Five stars! (I'd give it more, if there were the option to do so)

[Books and Literature for Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

From angry trolls, a missing author, and a curse as old as time, The Stone Child is a magical read filled with terrifying creatures and amazingly scary fun.
I really enjoyed reading The Stone Child because, though it was scary enough to make your skin crawl, it has a good vs. evil plot and a creative “book within a book” style. This book is perfect for anyone who, like myself, enjoys horror stories that give you a good adrenaline rush, but doesn’t keep you up at night.
The Stone Child keeps you on your toes with brave, but curious characters; secret codes and myths about ancient times; and an eerie eye-view of the haunts of Gatesweed. It was a lot of fun to read, and even though the red-eyed dogs really gave me the creeps, they were by far my favorite “monster”.

With it’s magical, detailed narrative and stunning ending, I think readers will never forget The Stone Child. (I know I’ll never forget that troll!) Poblocki has such a neat imagination, I am really looking forward to reading more of his books!

All in all, from the very first sentence to the last paragraph, The Stone Child will capture your attention with frightful adventure and a world of monsters than will only go away if you can discover the key to the stone child. Just make sure you stay away from the lake....trust me.


Age Group: YA, ages 12+
Content: Monsters and horror
Recommend? Yes

Courtesy of BLT reviews: booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com

Contest for The Stone Child
I'm giving away 3 copies of this book on my blog. To enter, please visit my blog and click on "Current Contests".
Ends Sept. 24th.

[Jim Ef · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

If i read this book 10 years ago, i think i would give it 5 stars. It has everything that kids love and its all well combined. Monsters, curses, witches and plenty adventures are awaiting for you if you choose to read "The stone child".

[Cait S · Rating 2 out of 5]

First half was okay. Second half was so dull it gave me a headache. I would finish a page, look to see how close to the end I was, and groan out loud when I realized I still had X number of pages to go. Great premise but the writing just... Nope. Not for me.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I was a kid, this book would have been slightly terrifying. The imagery and suspense that Dan Poblocki can write into a scene is very fear inducing. I hope one day Dan decides to write horror stories for adults because I think he would have the capability to make it truly terrifying.

In this book we follow a young boy named Eddie who has just moved to the town of Gatesweed. Late one night on the way to their new house Eddie's father hits a strange beast that appears on the road, totaling their car. This is the just the beginning of a chain of very strange events that all seem centered around the disappearance of an author who used to live in town, Nathaniel Olmstead. Eddie loves Olmstead's books so he immediately begins to see the parallels between his world and the books he reads continuously. Eddie makes some new friends in town, Harris and Maggie, and together the three of them start investigating the crazy happenings in Gatesweed. As they learn more about the curse that is plaguing the town they realize there is one monster still left to be released on the town, and they must race against time to stop total chaos from reigning.

This book is definitely not for immature preteen readers, I would probably suggest 13 and up at the very least. Some of the images could definitely be a bit scary for a kid. However, I wish this kind of book had been around when I was that age because I LOVED scary books. I would have eaten this up as a kid. There are a lot of Gothic elements to this book. As a more well read reader I can see some classic Gothic literature that seems to have influenced Dan's work. We have a Woman in Black, mentions of Lilith, a House on the Hill, and hellhounds. Although a lot of these ideas appear in more dated Gothic literature Dan did a really good job tying all these ends together to make a compelling story. I really liked the care with which he wove together his ending and tied up all his loose endings. This is now the second book I have read by Dan Poblocki and I'm looking forward to reading more of his work in the future. Definitely an author to keep your eye on.

[Ken B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since reading John Bellairs' Lewis Barnavelt series, I have been looking for something with the same feel. I think I found it with Dan Poblocki.

"The Stone Child" is a dark, YA tale that doesn't insult the intelligence of older readers. Tying in myths and folklore, Poblocki puts together a creepy story that has you not wanting to put the book down....and hoping that it doesn't end here.

It doesn't appear that Poblocki has written anything further with this set of characters, Eddie, Harris, Maggie and their favorite author, Nathaniel Olmstead. But, he has set it up so that "the further adventures of...." is certainly doable. Here's to hoping.


4 1/2 STARS

[Christopher Xia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eddie Fennicks has never really had any real friends in his life, always reading his prized novels by his favorite author, Nathaniel Olmstead. That is exactly why moving to Gatesweed becomes wonderland when Eddie discovers that Nathaniel used to live there. He gets even more excited when he finds a handwritten never seen before Olmstead with a mysterious symbol at the front. After finding the book Eddie becomes friends with Harris, another Olmstead fan. Things couldn't seem to get better, until the terrifying creatures in Nathaniel's books show up in real life. Now Eddie and Harris, along with their new friend Maggie have to break Olmstead's code, read his story to learn what really happened, and banish all monsters from the face of earth. All before Eddie's mom finishes writing her own story that brings to life that scariest creature to ever set foot on earth. The Stone Child has kept me on the edge of my chair until the last moment. Every new page has something new and exciting. I recommend this book to people who love thrills and things that scare them. But the people who hate thrills should also try it out, see what they think.

[Shayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, I hate horror books even cheesy horror books. I like supernatural books, but more in the tradition of Mary Downing Hahn than spooky. Still, I finished the book even though its not exactly my genre. I thought the book read a lot like an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, if anyone still remembers that show. A new kid moves into town and then mysterious things start happening. Along the way he makes a couple good friends (boy and girl) and they solve the supernatural mystery. Even though they swear a little, the kids are squeaky clean, love their parents, etc. All the evil really has no purpose except to be evil. The mystery and its solution are pretty obvious. I can still see kids really liking the book because the most popular books at the school library are the always the scary ones and aside from the supernatural elements, there is nothing super emotionally scary that will stick with you so its a relatively light read. That being said, I HATE supernatural horror worse than killing/crime horror because I do kind of believe in supernatural evil. So all around this was not a good pick for me.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki was an amazing mystery suspence horror YA book. I loved reading it because at times it sent chills own my spine and made me jump whenever I heard a noise. Reading this book was sp interesting and I totally loved it. I love the character development and how Eddie and his 2 friends go out trying to solve the mystery and curse of Nathaniel Olmsted. Going through the book it was hard to put down and it was so good. I recomend this book for ghost story/paranomal/monster lovers. It is amazingly writen and I love the book from beginning to end. The ending was shocking and fun and I loved it everything about this book is spooky fun and interesting. Thw only part that buged me was at parts it writes in cursive the only reason that bugs me though is because I fail and writing and reading cursive but slowly I started to pick it up and read the cursive very well so although I read those parts slightly slower I still loved this book. It is a must read! All in all amazing book awsome author and great writing this book get a 5 out of 5.

[Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book because it was about creatures that are not real and come from a pendant that opens the gates to the underworld. I like books like this because they are scary and hair raising you have no idea what is going to happen next. I would reccomend this book if you like to read past your bettime and can't stop reading and once you are finished you can't sleep because you are so scared of the monsters coming for you!(technically its The Woman In Black!)

[Dominik Glathar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg very creepy book loved it so much how Eddie has these spine chilling encounters with monsters to freaky for the average child but still it's really awesome so you got to read it. This book made me think that the monsters were real. LOL

[J New · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent middle school horror with thrills, chills and a minimum of gore... Will a second stone child book follow, one can only hope... Keeps you reading... Wish dust jacket had fewer spoilers... Also font at times is hard to read script.

[Emily Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children’s book BUT children’s lit is slept on and this was so good. Creepy yet wholesome. Adventure, team work, and belonging all tackled in less than 300 pages. Great

[J.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:

When Eddie moves to Gatesweed with his parents, he's overjoyed to learn it's the same town his favorite horror author once lived. Eddie's excitement turns to fear when he realizes the monsters from his favorite books are showing up around town. He also has a feeling the monsters may have had something to do with the author's disappearance 13 years ago.
It is up to Eddie and his two new friends to try to find a way to banish the monsters and save the town.

Personal opinion:

This is a book for younger (12+) readers that actually managed to have some really good creepy parts.
The plot was interesting and the good pacing made it easy to keep wanting to read 'just one more chapter'. It sort of reminded me of the Goosebumps movie with Jack Black.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book even as an adult. Would recommend to Goosebumps fans and younger readers who like a good scary story.

[Geoff Wooldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Stone Child by Stan Poblocki combines mild horror with an investigation into mysterious events in this relatively short and simple story for teenagers.

When his family move to Gatesweed, Eddie and his new friends, Harris and Maggie, become embroiled in solving the mystery surrounding their favourite author, Nathaniel Olmstead.

Olmstead, a writer of spooky tales for young readers, lived in Gatesweed, but disappeared some 13 years earlier.

Armed with a book written in code, the three teenagers set out to solve the mystery before Eddie's mother can complete her new novel, which just might unleash more horror into the community.

One for a much younger audience than this old timer.

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty creepy book. Great atmosphere, interesting story with a puzzle to solve. Watching the kids solve the mystery, encountering the unknown along the way, certainly kept me reading. Recommend.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutly amazing! A true pageturner for sure, I couldnt put it down - well, only when I had to go to work😂📚😍🙏

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeping in mind that this book level is grades 4-7, I give this work 4 stars. The writing is simple- but it works and is appropriate for the audience intended. It is a very quick and very easy read but I did find myself falling into it and I can easily imagine that younger audiences would really love this book.

The idea behind it is a good one- an author’s work and the horrors within his books coming alive and haunting the town in which he resides- and I particularly liked the reasons on how and why this was happening. The actual solution to it was great- simple yet a puzzle at the same time. I found myself thinking no, that is too easy- it has to be something harder but I didn’t actually think of the very obvious answer.

My main critique with the book is the overall lack of character growth but everything does happen in a relatively short time frame. There are some true emotions shown in there but overall, that aspect of the story seemed to be lacking in my opinion.

Overall, everything is explained but there was one loose end that was never tied up with bothered me related to one specific person. I can make an assumption about that character but at the same time, I cannot be sure and that sort of bothers me in this case.

The ending, however, was great- I really enjoyed the very last part but I won’t say how or why, you just need to read it to find out but I think most book lovers will appreciate it.

[Navratna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always obsessed with mysteries so I sort of like this book.

I was first attracted by the beautiful cover of this book with no idea what it's all about, but I was sure it's a children book that supposed to contain some scary stuff. I was just looking for a fantasy/scary story, but not too violent to get stressed, that's why I bought it.

I had spent two nights, lying on the bed with the book in hands to find myself slowly enjoyed the story. I think the three main characters; Eddie, Harris and Maggie shared some similarities to Harry, Ron, and Hermione from Harry Potter series. The atmosphere in the story reminded me of my own childhood adventure when I was wandering with my friends through a remote area near my school, pretending we're lost LOL. The book is filled with fun, thrilling and humorous moments, fantasy creatures (especially the wicked Gremlin that I liked), horror tales, and puzzles that young readers would love to read. But for an adult just like me, I still find it cool to have this book on my bookshelf.

Though it's failed to get me a nightmare, I sort of like this book.

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! I really enjoyed this Supernatural-mythological-suspense novel, and its rendition of the millenial-ancient good vs. evil controversy. I definitely did not expect the turn that the story took as to the source of the evil and of the monsters (and I won't spoil it here for future readers). The main characters are three middle-graders, but believe me, this story is just as fascinating for adults. I loved it, and raced through it. The author really understands youngsters of this age, almost even better than the adult characters, with the exception of the legendary author Nathaniel Olmstead, whose books are the crux of the story line. (So the three youngsters-Eddie, Harris, Maggie , are the level and Nathaniel is the fulcrum. )

Author Poblocki knows how to deliver the scares: it's not only the youngsters who scream:)!

[Garry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darn good. Appealing characters. An interesting premise. A good mix of suspense, spookiness, and pre-teen reality. Dan Poblocki is a WRITER TO WATCH and one whose work I will continue to read.

My only quibble is aimed at the typesetter. Yes, the typesetter. The font and size of the print for the hand-written diary entries - at least in the paperback I read - were horrible. These passages were incredibly difficult to read and tough going. This is unfortunate because they are key to the plot and the whole impact of the book.

So...when's the last time you read a review that even mentioned the font and the typesetter?

Good question, right?

[Cintia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book without knowing for whom it was intended. But seeing that the main characters are a bunch of 12-year-olds, it's say that this is more an early teens book.
I chose it to take a break from the romantic books I'd been reading where I kept on crying on every other chapter. It accomplished its gold. I enjoyed it, it was a light reading and I found it especially endearment because of the resemblance to the Goosebumps books as well as to other books and tv programs of that sort that filled my childhood. I miss those times.

[Sharm · Rating 5 out of 5]

O-kay. This book, it really gave me the creeps. I read this book during the night, at around 12 midnight, when my Mom is asleep, with the lights off and everything. Mr. Poblocki's way of writing keeps my imagination sizzling, I even dreamt of the creatures one night! Everything about the book was so intense that I can't put it down, until I realized I had to go to sleep.

I like this book, it's the first horror book I read and I can't stop thinking about it, not because I'm scared, but because it has been imprinted in my mind.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I don't want to spill the beans of the book,but this book is mainly about this boy named Eddie. He moves to a new town and discovers that his favorite books'author ( Nathaniel Omstead) lives there, but he disappeared over 20 years ago. On the first day of school he made a friend and they both wanted to unravel the mysteries and on the way they also discover that they are living the life of Nathaniel Omstead's books. I recomend this book to any spooky or mystery lovers. This book really draws you in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So beware.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror stories are terrifying enough, but then they come to life for Eddie Fennicks. Worse still, it seems there is a new tale of terror being written, and he is right in the middle of it. He has a code to break, a lost author to find, an entire paranoid town to navigate,hell hounds and dark spirits to avoid, and his family to protect in this startling good first novel. The perfect read before you take on Stephen King's The Dark Half.  

[Magda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old legends about the Garden of Eden, strange compulsions to write, quirky village characters, and making new friends after a move to town. It does rather sound like a John Bellairs book, but the execution seems geared for a younger child. Nonetheless, it was definitely creepy, but in a way that didn't give me nightmares.

[10-11 Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!!!! It was AWESOME!!!!

In this book Eddie, Harris, and Maggie try to find an author who has been missing for 13 years. They also have to deal with monsters straight out of the scariest book the trio has ever read. Along with all that they have to stop Eddie's mom from finishing her story and bring to life the worst monster ever. Can they do it?

[Kathy Raber]

I put this book on my list at the recommendation of my oldest grandchild...Gracie. It is her favorite book and her copy is worn, tattered, stained and everything a favorite book should be. She told me the plot but, I still want to read it. It is a young adult book but, hey, so was Twilight!!! What better way to connect to our loved ones than to read their cherished books.