When Nick falls out with his mother's new boyfriend, he runs away, and soon meets a group of human statues, performing in the town centre.

Nick finds he has a talent for this too, and is soon 'discovered' by the mysterious genius Antonin, and whisked away to a training centre for human statues.

There, Nick's growing love for another performer, Swan, is set against his ambitions and fears as he realizes the darker side of what is going on at the centre.

Philip Gross is a well-known poet for both adults and children, and has been shortlisted for the Whitbread Poetry Award. "Going for Stone" combines a wonderful literary novel with a strong undercurrent of real horror.

This deals with issues, relevant to many young people, of falling under the sway of a cult, and of striving for perfection.