Words of Stone

October 24, 2005
"In this stirring contemporary novel, Henkes paints a poignant picture of two lonely children whose paths cross one summer," according to PW
's boxed review. Ages 8-up.

Starred review from September 1, 1992
Gr 4-6- -Joselle "sets out to complicate the life of Blaze Werla" the summer she stays with her grandmother. She chooses him, a neighbor whom she hasn't met, because the details of his life intrigue her. Hard-eyed at ten, Joselle refers to her mother as "the Beautiful Vicki," lies compulsively, and is an irresponsible playmate. The boy, fearful and still suffering from the death of his mother several years before, is an easy target. What begins with malicious playfulness does complicate lives, as the two children, both needy, become fast friends. Emotional doors begin to open. Joselle's early hurtful words, written in stones on Blaze's hill, are also inscribed on her legs in ballpoint tattoos that eventually give her away, revealing the pivot on which the two will finally balance their friendship. Subplots provide texture. Joselle's mother, supposedly on an extended getaway with her boyfriend, turns out never to have left home; Blaze's father is courting a woman whom the boy grudgingly comes to welcome; and Blaze resolves many of his fears to begin painting a long-empty canvas. The main plot is simple and clear, giving an immediate sense that Henkes's craftsmanship is artless. Rich characterization, dramatic subplots, and striking visual images belie that impression. The author's respect for the complexity of young people's lives is apparent in this outstanding novel, which will find an enthusiastic readership among fans of Betsy Byars and Susan Shreve. -Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Lib . System, Worcester, MA

September 15, 1992
Gr. 5-7. Blaze is small and fearful, locked into his grief for his mother, who died when he was young. Joselle is brash and outrageous, hiding her hurt that her single-parent mother doesn't want her around and has sent her to stay the summer with her grandmother in rural Wisconsin, near where Blaze lives with his loving father and grandmother. Joselle hears about Blaze's grief and plays a mean trick on him, writing his mother's name and the word "orphan" with stones on the hillside. Then the two youngsters meet and become close friends, and Joselle can't bear to own up to what she did. Told from each kid's point of view in alternating third-person narratives, the story has the affectionate characterization of Henkes' picture books, such as "Jessica" and "Chrysanthemum." Those, however, never departed from the child's viewpoint. Here, there's the author-as-therapist commenting on the story: Blaze collects old keys because "he has locks to release, doors to open"; Joselle knows "if she could make someone else more confused than she was, the weight of her own emotions might be lifted." What readers will love about this book is the friendship between these two very different loners. The shock of their meeting is funny and intimate, all sham stripped away. Just as powerful is the sense of isolation: Joselle tries to call her mother, and the phone rings like "a dull bell in an empty house." When Henkes writes like that, the vividly felt moment needs no explanation. ((Reviewed Sept. 15, 1992))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1992, American Library Association.)

September 14, 1992
In this stirring contemporary novel set in rural Wisconsin, Henkes ( Chrysanthemum ; The Zebra Wall ) paints a poignant picture of two lonely children whose paths cross one summer. First introduced is shy, red-headed Blaze, who has recently lost his mother to cancer. Now living with his grandmother and his artist father, the nine-year-old has trouble admitting his fears to anyone except his imaginary friends--until he meets Joselle, an outspoken, spellbinding girl who is staying on the other side of the hill with her Grandma Floy. Alternately showing the points of view of Blaze and Joselle, the book traces the meshing of two private worlds where ordinary objects--keys, spoons, stones, toy animals--carry special meaning. The fragile kinship that grows between the youngsters is threatened by an act of betrayal, yet, ultimately, deep-seated compassion and understanding help mend broken trusts. This story, offering an exceptionally sensitive and accurate portrayal of isolation, echoes feelings and themes found in Brock Cole's The Goats. Henkes, however, goes further in demonstrating the process of emotional healing--and acceptance of painful truths--that allows fear and loneliness to dissipate. His vivid characterizations and profound symbolism are sure to linger in readers' minds. Ages 10-up.