Captive!

World of Adventure #8

by Gary Paulsen

Something loud crashed over their heads, and they could hear gravel and dirt hitting the top of the truck. It happened again and again. The last sound they heard was the scrape of a shovel picking up more dirt. Then it was quiet.

“Where do you think we are?” Woody asked. “It’s getting really cold in here.” Roman hit the back door with his fist. “I’ll tell you where we are. We’re buried alive!”

Roman Sanchez’s life has become a nightmare. His father, a SWAT officer, has been killed in the line of duty. Then masked gunmen storm Roman’s classroom and hold him and three other boys hostage in a remote mountain cabin. There’s not much time before the kidnappers’ deadly threats are carried out. Can Roman overcome his fear—and the memory of his father’s death—to lead the boys’ desperate fight for freedom?

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Middle Grade, Survival, Realistic Fiction

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Gary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kidnapping and power plays take center stage in Captive!, book nine of Gary Paulsen's World of Adventure series. Young Roman Sanchez is still coping with his father's death in the line of duty as a SWAT team member when a pair of men with guns sneak into school one day, abducting Roman's class and their teacher, Miss Bently. Roman and his friend Woody Winslow don't always get along well with Jeff Dodson, captain of the football team, but now they must work together with student council president Mitch Tyson to escape. The gunmen—who go by the names "Spoon" and "Ripper"—soon identify Roman, Woody, Jeff, and Mitch as troublemakers and abandon them in isolated confinement. Saving their class won't be so easy now.

Quick thinking gets Roman and the boys free from captivity, but Spoon and Ripper have plans to leverage all the kids for a large ransom. They are willing to kill children if their demands aren't met, and they pursue Roman, Woody, Jeff, and Mitch relentlessly. But these kids have positive traits on their side: Roman is a martial artist, Mitch has a photographic memory, Woody is a sensible, willing worker, and Jeff is athletic. Can they outsmart the kidnappers before something goes wrong and a young victim winds up dead?

Captive! is among the least effective of the first nine World of Adventure books. It feels as though there should be a twist at some point to explain why this particular class was abducted, and why Roman and his friends were singled out to the extent they were, but none of that ever materializes. The book is only fifty-six pages, which doesn't help in creating a complex, layered story, but Captive! falls well below other World of Adventure books of similar length. I might rate it one and a half stars because it shows that kids can be more than powerless pawns in the hands of bad guys, but this is a forgettable work by a usually outstanding author.

[Zachary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave is book a four stars because it is a good book. It is a robbery that happens in school the hole class goes for a for a field trip. and then the bus brakes down and then a truck stops to help and then they kills him and only four go with them because there is not a much room. it would be scary to be captive with other people

[Zane Greenwald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most people know Gary Paulson for Hatchet, Brian's Winter, and all the other novels around that, but MY first book by him as a child was this one and I loved it! My first thriller was quite an experience! "THEY BURIED A BUS FULL OF STUDENTS ALIVE?!" Good times man, good times. lol

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, fast read. I liked the survival tips.

[Haydn · Rating 5 out of 5]

RF
68 pages
october 2012
It is about a 5th grade class that is in danger when two masked menaces with guns came in and told everyone to shut-up or they would get shot so they went to the bus parked in frount of the school and got on and drove for hours until they got go a house in the middle of no where and the robbers got of and left everyone else on and then filled the hole with dirt and barrier them so they tried to get off...

This book is really short but ok. It could have been better and more exiting. I would give it a 3 out of 10. I would recommend the book for 4,5 and 6th graders.

[Austin.t · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars because it was a realy good book. There are 4 boys that get kidnapped from school while there on a field trip. They escape the kidnappers about 3 or 4 times but then finaly this agent man comes and saves them. I liked this book because the boys are mischief like me. If I was in this situation I think I would try to do the same thing but I wouldn't stop and rest like they did. After I read this book im going to start carrying supplies just in case I get kidnapped at school.

[Clara]

I haven't read this book since childhood. Around fifth-sixth grade or so I went on a Gary Paulsen kick, reading 'Brian's Saga' ('Hatchet,' etc) and several other novels, including this one. But even though it's been more than twelve or thirteen years, I still remember this book. And in light of the hostage standoff in Alabama, it's never been more relevant.

[David J. Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read with a good mind grab.

I liked this story. Even though the story is short, there is still adventure and things to keep your interest. I would recommend this story to anyone who likes a quick but fun read. This story would be good for 5or 6th graders but anyone will enjoy it!

[Kladis3 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book because it kept me on the edge of my seet the whole time. If you like books that are small and mysterious you would like this book. This book is fun to read at any age and its really interesting.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book by Gary of all time!!111111

[Sterling Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the first one I read it is... SUPER GOOD!!!!!!!

[Jiselle Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating read for readers on a 3-4th grade level.

[Diantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

SHORT