Scared Stiff [Hardcover]

Willo Davis Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 1991 | Age Level: 8 and up

When their mother disappears, two brothers go to stay with a great uncle in a mobile home park next to an abandoned amusement park and begin a search which puts them in danger.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Once again Roberts ( The Magic Book ; Nightmare ) has written an enticing, suspenseful mystery for young readers. Rick, 11, knows his mother did not abandon him and his younger brother Kenny, even if the police do not believe them. Rick had seen her talking anxiously with someone in a black car, and he is convinced this is related to Ma's disappearance. While she is missing, the boys stay with their uncle, who lives in a trailer adjacent to the deserted Wonderland Amusement Park. The brothers explore the park with adventurous Julie and Connie, who befriend them. Since the police are unwilling to investigate, Connie convinces Rick that they must track down Ma themselves. The plot's exciting climax takes place in Wonderland's slippery, winding Pirate's Cave. The clever sleuthing and intriguing setting will make readers want to ride this one to the finish. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-- Eleven-year-old narrator Rick Van Huler learns that troubles do indeed come in threes: a load of TVs is stolen from his father's tractor-trailer rig, his father walks out after an argument with his mother, who is then kidnapped. Rick and his younger brother go to live with their great-uncle Henry in his converted school bus in an RV park across from Wonderland, a shutdown amusement park. While searching for their mother, the boys uncover a hijacking operation and an insurance scam. The theme of abandonment pervades the novel and, as a symbol of this, the amusement park provides a suspenseful, spooky backdrop. The brisk pace, fluid style, and excitement of the novel are sure to entertain readers, while the sensitive handling of such issues as separation and alcoholism, and the not-perfect ending make the book a cut above the general fare. The title and book jacket will attract readers, and they won't be disappointed in Roberts's latest offering. --Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (March 30, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689316925
• ISBN-13: 978-0689316920
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,973,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Superb job and suspense, October 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Scared Stiff (Hardcover)

The book starts out a little slow but speeds up after a couple of chapters after their mom gets kidnapped. Most of the suspense is in a wonderland R.V. Park where the two kids meet some friends and explore the shut down park with great anticipation. As the story gets to the last few chapters the kids get chased through the park by a couple of men who kidnapped their mom. Using their skills from exploring the park with their two friends they try to outwit the two men. The author has a lot of suspense through the chase that will keep you reading until the end. Other than a few family problems most people will okay this book. I would recommend this book to the 11-14 year old age group.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars nothing special, May 28, 2006

By 

sarah voss (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scared Stiff (Paperback)

This book is classic willo davis roberts. kenny and rick's mom disappers, and the police aren't convinced she didn't just walk off on her own, while the boys are sure her disappearance has something to do with the man in a black they saw her talking to the last time they saw her. rick and kenny go to live with their great-uncle henry and become friends with Julie and Connie, who help them investigate to try to find enough clues to convince the police. And then there is the inevitable scary, fast-paced encounter with the kidnappers in an abondoned amusement park at the end.

the story was fine. that's why i gave it three stars. but there wasn't anything special about it. the characters were ok; i didn't dislike them, and i didn't feel like they were strangers, but they just weren't all that deep. same with the rest of the book. there wasn't really any POINT to the story. i mean it made sense and everything, and it had a good plotline and wasn't boring or unbelievable, but there wasn't anything for me to take away with me. nothing moving.

so it's a fine book to get if you need a book to read. it just wasn't anything special.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scared Stiff, December 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Scared Stiff (Hardcover)

I read scared stiff when I was in the third grade in 1992, after my library teacher read it. It is such a good book that now in 1999, I remember the title after not reading it for seven years and I will be purchasing it for a much younger friend of mine. Even though it is at times unrealistic, it provokes the imagination of those who read it and imprints itself in a person's memory.