Doom Stone

Zindel, Paul. The Doom Stone. (Paperback available.)

Jackson jets to England to visit his anthropologist aunt, who has been hired by the British army to investigate mutilations that are occurring around Stonehenge. Right away, Jackson can see that some sort of horrible monster is attacking humans and animals, and after an attack on his aunt, he teams up with Alma, the daughter of a local grave digger, to try to find the source. Meanwhile, the aunt is exhibiting signs of mutation herself, the result of the bite of this ancient monster. Will Jackson and Alma be able to avoid large scale terror by solving the mystery of the ancient stones? Not before a lot of people are maimed in gory ways!

Strengths: This starts out in a very exciting fashion, and is not quite the immediate gore-fest that Reef of Death was. There is more character development.

Weaknesses: See above. What makes me happier might not make students happier. I think I will introduce students to Zindel's horror with this book and move up to Rats!