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Stone Cold (Puffin Teenage Fiction) [Kindle Edition]

Robert Swindells (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (166 customer reviews) |
Print List Price: £6.99
Kindle Price: £4.49 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Stone Cold, winner of the 1994 Carnegie Medal, serves as a sinister warning to any young runaway and not just because there is a killer on the loose. Narrated by 17-year-old Link, homeless and jobless in London after being driven out of home by a drunken, abusive stepfather, he vividly recounts the day-to-day experiences of a homeless person. Because he tells it like it is, his descriptions of sleeping rough shatter any romantic notions: "So you pick your spot. Wherever it is ... it's going to have a floor of stone, tile, concrete or brick. In other words it's going to be hard and cold. It might be a bit cramped, too--shop doorways often are. And remember, if it's winter you're going to be half-frozen before you even start."

If this was just another diatribe on the perils of sleeping rough, the reader's interest would soon wane but it is far more gripping than that. The author alternates Link's tale with that of an unknown serial killer preying on the homeless. You, the reader, see how closely their lives brush against each other and know it's only a matter of time before they clash. Will Link be joining the other recruits in the cellar--what a deterrent that would be! (Age 11 and over.) --Nicola Perry

Product Description

A tense, exciting thriller combined with a perceptive and harrowing portrait of life on the streets as a serial killer preys on the young and vulnerable homeless. 17-year-old Link is distrustful of people until he pairs up with Deb, homeless like him. But what Deb doesn't tell him is that she's an ambitious young journalist on a self-imposed assignment to track down the killer and that she's prepared to use herself as bait ...

Winner of the Carnegie Medal

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More About the Authors

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Robert E. Swindells
Robert E. Swindells
Joe Standerline
Joe Standerline

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
You must read this 10 Feb 2002
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Every once in a while - not very often - you read a book that changes the way you think. And this is one of those.

The tale is told from two distinct first-person perspectives - two diaries read concurrently, the perspective shifting with each chapter
division. It works remarkably well, because the characters are far from ordinary people. The first is a homeless teenager, compelled to
leave home because of an abusive step-father, now living rough on the streets of London. The second is a serial killer, prowling the streets
of London on a mission to rid the city of "dossers," as he calls them. It's clear from the outset that the two are destined to cross paths, and
the suspense is maintained throughout the novel.

This is no fairy tale. It's a grim depiction of homelessness, and a sharp criticism of our apathy towards it. Swindells does not gloss over the
subject. He makes it clear that everything is not OK with the world, and we need to wake up.

This is a short novel, only a hundred pages. It is marketed as a children's book, and I admire Swindells for daring to open kids' eyes like
this instead of pulling the wool over them, like so many writers. And if you're an adult, I can only urge you not to skip this one because of
the packaging. This novel won't make you feel good, but it will change you.

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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Chilling 16 July 2007
By SJSmith TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Yet another excellent book by Robert Swindells. I was reading this book in preparation for teaching it to a group of pupils with social, emotional and behavioural problems. It should go down a treat. Short chapters help keep the pace and the dual narrative means you don't have to focus too long on one particular character.

Narrated on one side by Link, a young lad who has left home due to an unhappy life. He is homeless but doesn't know how to be. He meets Ginger in a doorway one night and he begins to show him the ropes. Our other narrator is called Shelter, a sadistic seriel-killer who is killing the homeless children one by one.

The kids are disappearing and no one cares. Then Link meets Gail and his life improves but still Link knows something sinister has happened to Ginger. This book was winner of the Carnegie Medial (although I don't know which year) and it is easy to see why. It is captivating and pacey with great realistic characters. One or two more chapters at the end would have helped to finish it off much more neatly but who really needs that, the children can make up their own minds about what happens.

A good introduction to homelessness for children and as an add-on as a teacher it provides a range of stimulus for discussion. Well worth a read and well worth considering for the classroom. Yes it's been taught a lot but so what, it's a great book!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Stone Cold 15 Dec 2006
Format:Paperback
I thought the book 'Stone Cold' was a moving, adventurous novel. It was a really interesting, gripping book to read. It gave me an in sight into the lives of homeless people. The feelings I experienced towards this book were different to what I've felt before. I never knew the dangers that people encounter from living on the streets. Link really helped me to understand how hard it is to survive when you are homeless and don't have much money. I recommend this book to anyone.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Stone Cold
Read this so I knew what my son was on about as he's studying it for school. He's a bit annoyed though as he's been reading it for over a week and I read it coming home on the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ady
Fantastic Read
I bought this for my 11 year old son for a summer read...gripping stuff he thoroughly enjoyed it, as did we all. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Milly Maidenhead
ITS OK!
As my title suggests the book itself was mediocre. I read the book during the early years of high school, it was part of our curriculum and although it was fun to read as a class... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Ashbookaholic
Perfect for teenage boys
My son is studying this at school. I bought it to enable me to help him with his revision before exams. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Newlands56
Fantastic!
Living on the streets is hard work, but Link (a calm and pleasant teenager who lives on the streets of London) from Bradford has a bit of a mystery on his hands. Read more
Published 15 months ago by A S Lali
Not that thrilling - but a great introduction to the topic of...
I read 'Stone Cold' at school and remember being confused as to what all the fuss was about - but since Robert Swindells is such a well-known name in children's literature I... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Miss E. Potten
Disturbing
i have just read this book in my class at school and although it had a dramatic plot i found it quite frightening and sinister. Read more
Published 16 months ago by lala
EXCELLENT
Excellent book, I read this book back in school and I absolutely loved it. Amongst the best books ive ever read.
Published 16 months ago by MOVIE LOVER
Disturbing! (1 star is 1 star too many!)
I'm 14 and have just read this in English at school. I found it awfully sinister and pretty disturbing to be reading at our age, none of the people in my class liked the book... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Lord Nelson
STONE COLD: ROBERT SWINDELLS
Quite an interesting book. Meant to be for teenagers but I read it in 4 hours on a plane to Turkey for a holiday. Read more
Published 18 months ago by A Person
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Popular Highlights

 (What's this?)
&quote;
Id change you, my lad, if I had you in khaki for six weeks. &quote;
Highlighted by 6 Kindle users
&quote;
Change? Id change you my lad, if I had you in khaki for six weeks. &quote;
Highlighted by 5 Kindle users
&quote;
Im not a murderer at all  Im a soldier out of uniform, killing for his country. &quote;
Highlighted by 5 Kindle users

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