Doll Bones
core novel 2013 Doll Bones
Record
| First published | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.68 (30,614 ratings, collected 2026-09-21) |
| Page count | 256 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9781416963981 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends forever, and for almost as long they have been playing one continuous, ever-changing game of pirates and thieves, mermaids and warriors. Ruling over all is the Great Queen, a bone-china doll cursing those who displease her. But they are in middle school now: Zach's father pushes him to give up make-believe, and Zach quits the game. Their friendship might be over, until Poppy declares she has been having dreams about the Queen, and about the ghost of a girl who will not rest until the bone-china doll, which Poppy swears is made from the girl's bones, is buried in her empty grave. The three set off on one last adventure to lay the Queen's ghost to rest, but nothing goes according to plan, and creepy things begin to happen. A 2014 Newbery Honor book by Holly Black, co-creator of the Spiderwick Chronicles.
Where it sits
- Universe: Doll Bones
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Holly Black
Awards (verified)
- Mythopoeic Award (Children's Literature), 2014: won
- Newbery Medal (Newbery Honor), 2014: nominated; Newbery Honor book, per the publisher.
- Newbery Medal (Honor Book), 2014: honor
Notes
- Standalone novel; no sequel or companion volume.
Sources
- Doll Bones (Simon & Schuster official book page)
- Doll Bones (Holly Black's own site)
- Doll Bones (English Wikipedia)
- Margaret K. McElderry Books (publisher description)
- Bookshare (publisher description)
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