Scared Stiff (Paperback)

by Willo Davis Roberts (Author) "Troubles come in threes, Pa always said..." (more)
Key Phrases: Uncle Henry, Van Huler, Sergeant Patterson (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
When their mother disappears, two brothers decide to investigate some suspicious going-on at an abandoned amusement park. PW said, "The clever sleuthing and intriguing setting will make readers want to ride this one to the finish." Ages 8-12.

Copyright 2001 Cahners 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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (November 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689846894
• ISBN-13: 978-0689846892
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #491,983 in Books (See Bestsellers 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 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, May 24, 2003

By	Lira (Franklinville, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scared Stiff (Turtleback)

In this book, Rick, the main characters are an eleven year old boy and his younger brother Kenny who is seven. Teh boys'father is a truck driver who's load gets stolen one night. The mother asks the father if he had anything to do with it. The two dults get into a fight and the father leaves. The parents were not "divorced" the dad just left. Neighter parent filed for a divorce, and at the end the boy hopes that the father will come back home. The mother discovers much information about the case and is kidnapped so she will not tell. The kid-nappers try to capture her two sons so she will tell them what she knows. THe boys' friends, Connie and Julie, help them solve the mystery and escape from the kid-nappers. I am thirteen and I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It was very exciting and suspensful. I have read one other of Willo Davis Robert's books and found it equally exciting. She is a very creative writer and her books deserve 5 stars for mystery,adventure,and action in my opinion.