The Body by Stephen King – PB

Some stories stay with you. This is one of them.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King, “The Body” is now available as a stand-alone publication—the very novella that inspired the beloved film classic Stand by Me. Originally tucked inside King’s collection Different Seasons, this quiet gem has earned its own spot on the shelf. And what a spot it deserves.

It’s 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. A boy named Ray Brower has gone missing, and twelve-year-old Gordie Lachance sets out with his three closest friends to find the body along the railroad tracks. What begins as a boyish adventure becomes something deeper. Along the way, Gordie, Chris, Teddy, and Vern come face-to-face with death, loyalty, and the hard truths of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t promise much of a future.

There’s a reason this one endures. It’s a timeless coming-of-age story—tender, unflinching, and unforgettable. King trades his usual supernatural chills for something quieter and closer to the bone: the ache of friendship, the loneliness of youth, and those summer days that shape who we become.

As a Maine author writing about Maine soil, King feels right at home on our shelves here in the cove. Perfect for readers who loved the film and want to sink into the original. Perfect for anyone who remembers being twelve.

Settle in. Let the sea air drift by. And let this one carry you back.

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