The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki

From the Publisher

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.

VOYA

Twelve-year-old Eddie and his family are driving to their new home in Gatesweed when their car hits a monster-like animal in the road near the home of Nathaniel Olmstead, writer of Eddie's favorite books about the supernatural. Olmstead has been missing for thirteen years and is blamed for the curse that causes mysterious happenings in the town. Eddie's mother gives him a book, The Enigmatic Manuscript, written by Olmstead in code, which she had found at an antique fair. Thus begins Eddie's determination to crack the code and find out what happened to Olmstead. Meanwhile Eddie is living in an increasingly nightmarish world in which he and his new friends are chased by monsters and haunted by the foreboding figure of a woman in black. Poblocki builds upon the myth of Lilith, Adam's first wife, associated with the darkness of the world to which she is banished. The statue of a stone child near Olmstead's property is a gate between the real world and the world from which the monsters associated with Lilith emerge. There are stories within stories (all in longhand) as the friends search for clues from Olmstead's novels and from the book discovered in Olmstead's house in which he had written down how he obtained the pendant—a key to the gate. The novel, packed with encounters with supernatural beings, has little depth and deals superficially with the mythical material. It might appeal to younger teens who enjoy reading about the supernatural in a gothic style mystery story. Reviewer: Hilary Crew

Children's Literature

Have you ever been fascinated by books? Eddie Fennicks is mesmerized by the work of mystery writer, Nathaniel Olmstead. When Eddie moves to Gatesweed, he cannot wait to meet Mr. Olmstead in person. Unfortunately, Nathaniel Olmstead disappeared under suspicious circumstances thirteen years ago; no one has seen or heard from the writer since. Eddie is determined to find the truth behind the legend; the boy explores inside Olmstead's home and discovers handwritten notepads. Did Nathaniel Olmstead write these notes himself? Can Eddie break the code? Soon Eddie begins to meet the creatures of Olmstead's books in real life. It is a terrifying experience for the twelve year old boy, who cannot believe his luck at being able to "live" the mysteries of Nathaniel Olmstead, but when Eddie meets up with a scary gremlin and hears about "The Woman in Black," the boy realizes the game has gone too far. As the story unravels, Eddie is caught in the middle of a dangerous and life-threatening situation. Will he survive this adventure, or will Eddie succumb to the creatures of the Dark Side? Young adults will enjoy this suspenseful debut novel by Dan Poblocki. Reviewer: Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D.

School Library Journal

Gr 5–8—Eddie, 12, is excited to be moving to Gatesweed, since his favorite author, Nathaniel Olmstead, lived there before he disappeared 13 years earlier. But it soon becomes evident that not everyone in Gatesweed is an "Olmsteady." Was the man responsible for all the tragic things that happened there? Eddie discovers what looks like a never-published Olmstead book written in code. His attempts to decipher it lead him to his first real friendships, with schoolmates Harris and Maggie, and escalating encounters with strange and frightening phenomena. Will the three kids be able to translate the manuscript and figure out what happened to Olmstead before the fabric of the universe is destroyed and the Woman in Black is freed to create havoc forever? Think John Bellairs, with a touch of R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike, and then add in a liberal sprinkling of Judeo-Christian mythology involving the Garden of Eden and its first inhabitants. The creep factor is high but not graphic, and the kids act and react like real kids. The adults (with the exception of Olmstead) play small but believable roles. Two minor quibbles—the cover art represents an important plot point, but isn't going to do much to sell the story, and the font used for the "handwritten" portions of the book is difficult to read. Still, this briskly paced novel is sure to be popular with fans of scary stuff.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

Eddie Fennicks is new to Gatesweed, Mass., when he discovers it's the home of Nathaniel Olmstead, his favorite writer. But the author has disappeared, creatures from his novels have come alive, children have gone missing and there have even been unexplained deaths. When Eddie's mother finds The Enigmatic Manuscript, a book written in code by Olmstead, at an antiques fair, Eddie and his new friends Harris and Maggie work to break that code and solve the mystery. The third-person narrative voice suits the breadth of the tale, which ranges from Gatesweed to Dracula's Romania and the Garden of Eden. Though the novel misses a chance for philosophical weight, it succeeds admirably in its intricate plotting, weaving together long excerpts from Olmstead's books, exciting face-offs with monsters and the efforts of the three young protagonists to decode the text and act in time to save the world. Fans of John Bellairs will enjoy this fine debut. (Fantasy. 9-14)

Product Details