Stoneheart is a children's novel by Charlie Fletcher, published in 2006. When George Chapman accidentally damages a stone dragon at the Natural History Museum, he is plunged into an alternate London where the statues are alive.

Achievements

The novel was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award and longlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. It has also been nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

Responses to the book were mixed. Several critics praised the central concept, calling it an "intriguing premise" and an "ingenious idea". The Scotsman said the book was "thrilling stuff", and The Times was highly positive, describing it as "intelligently and elegantly written, with pace and suspense, varied and convincing dialogue, and big themes of loyalty, sacrifice and emotional growth." However some reviewers felt that it was "tedious and longer than necessary" and that the "the execution is flat". In particular, Kirkus Reviews criticised the action for being "disappointingly dry" and Publishers Weekly said it had a "protagonist who doesn't ring true."

The film rights were purchased by Paramount months before the book was even released.

Stoneheart is succeeded by its sequels Ironhand and Silvertongue.

Plot (spoiler)

After getting in trouble on a school trip to the Natural History Museum, George takes off in a huff and accidentally breaks off the head of a stone dragon on the side of a wall. This sets off a stone pterodactyl literally peeling it self off the top of the building and following George. As George runs away he sees three stone salamanders too chasing him. During the chase, George bumps into the Gunner, a statue of a World War I soldier who helps him escape the pterodactyl and salamanders. He explains to George that by breaking the stone dragon,he has entered a different world - an un-london - where statues move and talk. The statues that are models of humans have the spirit of that particular person inside of them, enabling them to talk. Being the 'spitting image' of that person, they are called 'spits'. The animal and other creature statues(such as the pterodactyl and the salamanders) have no spirit inside them so cannot talk. They are called taints. There are many worlds and the world George has entered is one where all the statues and sculptures and spits and taints are at war with each other.

Characters

George Chapman - the protagonist, whose adventures the story follows. Branded a 'maker' during a battle with the Temple Bar Dragon

Edie Laemmel - one of the thought to be extinct 'glints', met early on in the book, who reluctantly befriends George.

The Walker - The antagonist of the book. Cursed and now a servant of the stone, he is unable to keep still.

Spits

The Gunner - the first 'spit' George meets in the book.

The Sphinxes - Met near Cleopatra's Needle. Being half lion and half woman, there is some confusion as to whether they are spits or taints.

Dictionary Johnson - the statue of the first man to write down all English words and their definition. Prone to muscle spasms and fidgeting behaviour.

The Black Friar - enigmatic spit whose true allegiances are unknown.

Fusilier The 5th spit George Chapman meets. The Fusilier saves George from the Gridman.

Taints

The Grid Man - a metal sculpture separated into a grid, he moves part by part, just out of sync. Although a humanoid shape, it is classfied as a taint.

Minotaur - captures Edie but is killed by the plastilene bullet that George makes.

Spout - named by George, lives on St Pancras and originally an enemy though after(in the next book) George uses his 'maker' skills to heal its wing, befriends him and fights by his side.

Temple Bar Dragon - the most detailed of all dragon sculptures. As with Spout, the dragon is against George, having a big battle with him and scarring his hand, but in the last book of the series, the Temple Bar Dragon turns over sides because of his purpose. The purpose of its construction being to defend the city, it ended up being a major part in battle.

The Pterodactyl - the first taint that unpeeled itself from a frieze at the museum and chased George. It was killed by The Gunner as with the salamanders.

Salamanders - three lizardlike statues that are killed by The Gunner at the War Memorial.

Supporting Roles

Mr Killingbeck - George's teacher at the start of the book.

Kay - George's 'babysitter'. Lives in the flat below.

References

1. Branford Boase Award press release - 2007 shortlist
2. The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize
3. The CILIP Carnegie Medal & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards
4. Kirkus review, archived at Waterstones.com