The Stone Child [Paperback]

Dan Poblocki (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Beginning in fifth grade, Dan Poblocki would gather his friends after school, frightening them with tales of ghosts, monsters, and spooky places. When his mother began to receive phone calls from neighborhood parents, warning that her son’s stories were giving their children nightmares, Dan decided to write the stories down instead. Dan now battles his own neighborhood monsters in Brooklyn, New York. Visit him at www.danpoblocki.com.


From the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (August 24, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375842551
• ISBN-13: 978-0375842559
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #671,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dan was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and lived in Woonsocket and Lincoln before moving to Basking Ridge, New Jersey when he was eleven years old. Dan now lurks in Brooklyn, NY.

Growing up in small towns shaped Dan's imagination. He was always curious what was out in the dark of the woods or just over the horizon. Often, if he and his friends didn't have an answer, they would make one up.

He still does.

Visit the author at danpoblocki.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BUY THIS BOOK FOR YOUR KIDS!!!, September 15, 2009

By 

EAG (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Stone Child (Hardcover)

You have to buy this book for your kids, especially with Halloween coming up! It's an adventure-filled intricate story complete with spine-tingling monsters that will foster your child's imagination and leave them wanting another Dan Poblocki story!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BLT Reviews, September 12, 2009

By 

Books and Literature for Teens (BLT) (Southwest, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Stone Child (Hardcover)

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

[...]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars want more, September 13, 2009

By 

Carrie (Dayton, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Stone Child (Hardcover)

Very interesting book. I love the passages showing excerpts from the "books" written by one of the characters. It makes me want to read those books too. Maybe someday Mr Poblocki will write these books or short stories as well.