المكان الرهيب

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, علي للو (مترجم)

هل يستطيع دوغ مواجهة رعبه لإنقاذ حياة أخيه؟
قصة حافلة بالأحداث تثير التوتر وتشد القارئ .. مغامرة في البرية تبعث على الرضا.

Genres: Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Juvenile, Survival, Adventure

142 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor was born in Anderson, Indiana, US on January 4, 1933.

Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.

Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good books. Her parents enjoyed reading stories to the children--her father would imitate the characters in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer--and her mother read to them every evening, "almost until we were old enough to go out on dates, though we never would have admitted this to anyone."

By the time Phyllis reached fifth grade, writing books was her favorite hobby and she would rush home from school each day to write down whatever plot had been forming in her head - at sixteen her first story was published in a local church magazine.

Phyllis has written over 80 books for children and young people. One of these books, "Shiloh," was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1992, was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and was also Young Adult Choice by the International Reading Association.

Naylor gets her ideas from things that happen to her or from things she has read. "Shiloh" was inspired by a little abused dog she and her husband found. The little dog haunted her so much that she had to write a story about him to get it out of her mind.

Reviews

[Sarah B]

What a vivid and intense story!! This book has surpassed all hopes I have had for it! I most definitely have a fear of heights and so of course I like to read books about it while sitting somewhere completely safe. And Doug trying to inch along narrow ledges at some crazy insane height definitely gives me that scary vibe! How in the world can people walk around way up there? I mean totally fatal heights here! Unfortunately Doug has a very strong fear of heights, yet he is forced to go to the very place he doesn't want to go... because he has to go find his brother Gordie (before his brother runs out of water).

Then add a cougar to the story! And a missing family member too? My feelings were so mixed up and my brain was thinking up all of the scenarios. I didn't know what to think. And young Doug was being so careless (in my opinion) it was only making the anxiety worse! Tension was running sky high!

My this book was exciting and so very satisfying! A real thrill ride.

And it's full of nature scenery too. Plus the cougar. And yes, the big cat plays a large role in the story.

A fun quick read. I do wish I could find more books like this. Such an excellent story.

The only annoying thing in here was the fights between the two brothers, but I can see that was needed for the plot to work.

[Jan]

Combative brothers Doug and Gordon Grillo accompany their parents on the annual research trip to the Rockies. They fly into Denver, drive several hours, then hike in the last couple of miles. It’s very remote. This year is different; the boys’ mother is expecting the death of her older brother, one whom she has had conflicts her entire life. When they have to leave for the funeral, they leave the boys behind. They’re older; they’re scouts; it’s too expensive for last minute plane tickets when the boys didn’t even know their uncle.

Mom and Dad will only be gone two, at most three days. The boys could handle it if their relationship weren’t so dysfunctional. A few hours after the parents depart, the brothers have a blow-out. Gordon goes off to camp on a high pass where Doug is afraid to go. His fear of heights paralyzed him on that climb 2 years earlier.

Recommended as a good survival story as well as a story about relationships, the dangers of being alone in the wild, and maturing.

Readalikes:
Peg Kehret – Earthquake Terror; Lauren Tarshis – The Destruction of Pompeii, A.D. 79 (I Survived series); P.J. Petersen – Wild River; W.R. Philbrick – Wildfire; James Preller – Blood Mountain; Watt Key – Terror at Bottle Creek; Brandon Wallace – Wilder Boys; Rachel Vail – Justin Case; James Patterson – From Hero to Zero; Cynthia Voigt – Homecoming.

Pace: Fast-paced
Characters: Flawed; brave;
Storyline: Character driven
Writing style: Attention-grabbing
Tone: Emotionally intense; Serious; Suspenseful
Frame: Rocky Mountains, CO; contemporary
Theme: Sibling rivalry
Grade level: 5 - 8

[Lee]

I read this book with my son because I remember my forth grade teacher reading it to our class and I really enjoyed it. I found it on thriftbooks and bought it. My teacher used to read to us for 30 minutes everyday after lunch and during that time you could listen to the story or draw or write or whatever as long as you were quiet. That is were I learned to draw really well haha because most of the books were not interesting to me and if I didn’t draw I would fall asleep. So I told that story to tell this one. This was the only book that I stopped drawing and listened to the book and was hanging on every word. It even made me decide to write my own book. (I was in the 4th grade so I’m sure it was wildly fascinating haha) So when I read it to my son and saw him hanging on to the words and asking questions it made me happy and hopefully he will have the memory of me reading The Fear Place to him like I had with my teacher. I am now 37 and it is still a good book. Read it to your kids and see what they think. (Boys will probably be more into it)

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader]

The Fear Place is a MG book I read for the Battle of the Books at school. It is a short book and it focuses on two brothers, Doug and Gordon, who are left at a campsite in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Their parents are called away for a family emergency. (This part of the book I found a bit far-fetched, because I don’t think parents would leave their children alone in the woods for several days.) The brothers do not always see eye to eye and have an argument and Gordon gets mad and packs up some supplies and takes off for several days. After three days Doug realizes his parents and Gordon haven’t returned, so Doug leaves the camp to look for his brother. He has to climb the cliffs, the place he fears most, but his new friend Charlie, the cougar encourages him. If you like to read survival and adventure stories, you may enjoy this book as well.

[Cyndi Jolley]

I found a box of old books I read as a kid and have been re-reading some of them. This book is very well written!

Good writing, good story. One I’m going to recommend to my nephew, for sure.

[Reed Johnson]

Simple but entertaining.

[Concetta Kellough]

What happens when Doug has to choose whether to face his biggest fear? Also, can Doug and his brother, who always fight, cut each other some slack and become friends?

[Brittany]

It felt unfinished.

[Marcie]

Although unbelievable at times, The Fear Place paces well and is a page turner.

[Gale]

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL BURDENED BY SIBLING RIVALRY

This intense tale will rivet you to your chair, just as the young hero is riveted in fear about a certain ledge on the mountain. Extended sibling rivalry between brothers threatens to undermine their very survival, as implacable fate and terse narrative communicate a sense of impending danger. The plot marches inexorably to the moment when Doug must brave a critical site on a circuitous mountain trail, which has long been his personal fear place.

Tension builds in this sparse story--almost like a play with basically three characters: 12-year-old Doug, the younger brother/victim of his older brother's nasty tricks; Gordon who baits Doug daily for psychological sport; and a wild-card nobody counted on--a non-aggressive female cougar.

Doug comes of age on this short, geological camping trip with his hated rival brother and preoccupied parents--until they are called away by a family emergency, leaving the boys to fend for themselves. Each tries to survive independently, with unexpected results. But there is another fear place inside Doug's conscience, when Gordon fails to return to camp after several days--fear For his brohter. Since when is Doug his brother's keeper?

Nor is it safe to be exploring treacherous ridges and unknown trails with a cougar roaming about. But it would take too long to notify the park ranger. So Doug's his worst fear place is the threat of the denuded family-- emotional baggage inherited from his mother, who never was reconciled to Her brother. Can anything break this chain of sibling jealousy and rejection? A gripping tale which should hold many teenage readerswill spellbound.

(May 25, 2012. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)

[Melissa Namba]

I was really disappointed with this book. Maybe because I usually love Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. This book was so unrealistic I would not want any kids to read it. First of all, REALLY? The parents leave two kids in the woods so they can go to a funeral in BOSTON? And they don't take the kids because the airfare is too expensive? She did try to explain it away by having the narrator explain how liberal his parents were but that is just negligence. Negligence should not be confused with Liberalism. So bad idea #1; giving kids the impression that "cool" parents will leave them alone in the mountains in COLORADO to go to a funeral in MASSACHUSETTS. Bad idea #2; having the narrator "befriend" a cougar so kids think that it could happen to them too. Bad idea #3; making the narrator a "hero" for traversing a dangerous pathway first with the cougar and later with his brother on his back (yeah right, real realistic). You get the idea. Very disappointed in Naylor.

[Cody Asmus]

I thought this was a good book for many of reasons. I thought this was a good book because it was full of excitement. The story of the boy kind of had a journey to it to find his fear place. Once him and his brother arrived his brother thought it was a magical place while he the boy, Doug, thought it was a very scary place. And the fear place was out in the wilderness. And then Doug's brother left the campsite and was not coming back for a long time and the Doug started to worry. And that is why this book is full of excitement.

[Julie Niles Petersen]

I had this book in my to-be-read pile for years. I'm not sure what kept me from picking it up and reading it, but I didn't until just a few weeks ago. I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the book in the beginning, but by the end of the book, I loved it! It reminded me of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen in a way.

[Josiah]

This is a good combination of captivating wilderness adventure and compelling family drama. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor crafts a good, strong story, filled with lots of good material worthy of her status as a highly-respected author. I enjoyed reading this book very much.

[Catherine]

I would give this book 3.5 stars - I wish good reads would let us do that. I think this is a great book for a reluctant reader. The story moves quickly. It also shows the battle that siblings often have and the importance of overcoming fears.

[Jenny]

Hatchett style survival story -challenges focusing on main character saving brother and healing relationship in the process - text not quite as complex as Hatchet?; bk knowledge about geology; hiking; camping; western US

[Nancy C.]

An exciting adventure for upper elementary students.

[Patrick]

Old Children's Book. Liked it as a kid, but haven't read it in years.

[Rebecca]

Read with Arturo; 6th grade summer reading.

[Kasey]

i rill have not rilly read it but it is starting to be a good book so far

[Kasey S.]

i rilly have not got to read it but it mith tern in to a good book

[Robin]

I remember that I read this in one night when I was 14. It was the first time I've ever read a book in one take and it never happened again.

[Lori]

Very well-written family drama with the added interest of a wilderness adventure. My only complaint was I don't feel that she completed the resolution. :(

[Osazia]

gyjkfyui

[Colleen]

cute story for students that like suspense and for teaching cause and effect!

[Emma Howes]

this is the book that created my love of reading!!!

[Ethan]

cool

[Elizabeth]

I really liked this story, and the writing is excellent. It is good writing to help teach kids how to write. Beautiful use of language.

[Vincent]

Pretty good...

[Diane]

...