Words of Stone

"A beautifully written, rich, and tender novel.” —The Horn Book (starred review)

Blaze Werla is having a routine summer. He spends his days alone, quietly dealing with the loss of a parent, wandering around the hill next door, and his nights awake, avoiding the dreams that haunt him.

Then a mysterious message made of stones appears on the side of the hill, and Blaze's predictable summer suddenly takes a turn. By the time he meets the bold and outgoing Joselle Stark, the two begin an unlikely friendship that puts Blaze in entirely new territory, where the unexpected seems almost normal.

“An outstanding book, one of the year’s best.”—Kirkus

Multiple award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Kevin Henkes brings his insightful, gentle, real-world insight to middle grade novels, including:

• Billy Miller Makes a Wish
• Bird Lake Moon
• The Birthday Room
• Junonia
• Olive's Ocean
• Protecting Marie
• Sun & Spoon
• Sweeping Up the Heart
• Two Under Par
• Words of Stone
• The Year of Billy Miller
• The Zebra Wall

Blaze Werla is having a routine summer. He spends his days alone, wandering around the hill next door, and his nights awake, avoiding the dreams that haunt him. Then a message appears on the side of the hill and Blaze's predictable summer suddenly takes a turn toward the mysterious. By the time he meets outgoing Joselle Stark, Blaze finds himself in entirely new territory, where the unexpected seems almost normal.

“What readers will love about this book is the friendship between these two very different loners.” - ALA Booklist

“Vivid characterizations and profound symbolism are sure to linger in readers’ minds.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“[Henkes’s] characters live, lingering in the memory. An outstanding book.” - Kirkus Reviews (pointer)

“A challenging and skillful book.” - Times Educational Supplement

“A novel that speaks to children’s deepest emotions. A beautifully written, rich, and tender novel.” - The Horn Book (starred review)

“If you know Henkes only as a writer/illustrator for younger children, this book will be a pleasant surprise.” - Chicago Tribune Books

“The author’s respect for the complexity of young people’s lives is apparent in this outstanding novel.” - School Library Journal (starred review)