The town of Bankhead is dying as the mine shuts down and people move, and Storey feels bored and rebellious, though her charmingly Wiccan mother isn't exactly mainstream. As Storey sketches she finds herself drawing obsessive pictures of a doorway, and these DANGEROUS DESIGNS lead to her crossing to another dimension. The only one who knows what is happening to her is new kid Eric, who understands that the pencil is a bespelled stylus and has been sent to recover it. Yet Eric can't panic the girl so he lets her out of the abandoned mine she's trapped in, gets to know her and asks to see her drawings.

Odd long fingers are now making their way past the door - and Storey is sure she didn't draw them. Eric finally explains that creatures called Louers are trying to break through from another dimension and takes Storey to an interview with Paxton, a scientist in his own dimension. The girl doesn't like being talked around as if she was an object, and refuses to give back the stylus - she gives the assembling scientists attitude instead and drops out of a drawn doorway. Eric is sent to take her back as she knows too much, but Storey then finds his world's living spaces sparse and utilitarian, while she hears different sides of the argument about the Louers, which are now attacking his people. Bolting home she discovers that changes have occurred... her absent father is present and her mother is a staunch Catholic. How can she undo any damage she's caused, or is this the result of the Louers breaking through to her world instead?

Dale Meyer has written an interesting tale for young adults, which doesn't force adult behaviour on the protagonists. By the end we understand that slavery makes enemies and more advanced science doesn't make everyone using it right. Storey is a tool of the stylus to begin with but ends up making her own choices and being true to herself. Girls and boys will enjoy this tale which may encourage them to reflect on our modern technology.

Book Summary