By: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor The Fear Place By: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Summary The summary of the plot begins when a family of four go to a family vacation in the woods. Doug and Gordon do not have the relationship every parent wants for their children, these boys are always fighting, even though they are 12 and 13 ½ yrs. old. When the parents leave to a family emergency, Gordon and Doug are left alone in their campsite. While they are there, they have a discussion about who takes out the trash next and they start a fight. After the fight, Gordon decides to leave their campsite to get away from his brother. A week passes and Gordon doesn’t return. Doug starts getting worry after he founds out that people have seen a cougar nearby. He decides to leave and look for him. On the way, he spots the cougar and gets frighten. More ahead, he founds out that the cougar does not want to hurt him and so he names the cougar, Charlie.

Continue… To keep on looking for Gordon, the cougar and Doug had to pass through a very thin piece of land which included the biggest fear of Doug, heights. He knew he had to do this for his brother. At the end, he was able to make it without falling or turning back. After passing his fear place, he found Gordon’s stuff all over the floor next to his tent. Gordon was fine and alive, but Doug saw his brother’s broken leg and decided to take him back to the campsite piggyback riding through the thin edge. Doug would do anything to get his brother back to camp safe. They were able to pass through the thin edge safe and had some luck on their way back which was help from a ranger. Doug helped the ranger put Gordon on his horse. Everyone got to the campsite safe and they were all going to be fine, because the ranger told the boys that their parents called and that they were going to get to the campsite that very night.

Conflict and Resolution The conflict of this book is that the boys are left alone at the campsite and start a fight. The boys decide to split up and Gordon, the oldest leaves. He doesn’t come back within a week because he got injured and can’t come back, so Doug goes out to look for him. On the way over there and on the way back, he has to pass through a place that he fears the most, a thin piece of land. The resolution of the conflict is that Gordon saves his brother and helps him go back to the campsite. On the way back, he gets help from a ranger that was looking for them. The ranger had found them by a note that Doug posted on their tent. Doug was pleased that he had thought of leaving a note just in case it was needed and it was a huge help to the ranger.

Characters Gordon (older brother) Doug (younger brother) The Mom The Dad The Ranger

Setting At the beginning of the book, the family is taking off in an airplane, so a small part of the story is taking place in an airplane. The setting of this book takes place in the woods at Comanche Park Wilderness. It is like a place in the woods where people can camp with their families, according to the book.

Theme I think that point that the author is trying to make is that never leave from home or where you might be because you might get lost and your family may not be able to find you or maybe there isn’t a point and the author just wrote this book to entertain people.

Devices Used: Flashbacks: The author uses flashbacks when Doug remembers the last time he was at that campsite and found his fear place. Foreshadowing: Doug foreshadows that he going to fall when passing the thin edge.

Genre This book is full of suspense. The author wrote the book so that the book has suspense in various places such as where Doug has to pass the thin layer of land to get to his brother. She also puts suspense when Doug is carrying Gordon and she writes that part as if they were going to fall.

Background Information About The Author Phyllis has enjoyed writing short stories since she knew how to write, which would have probably been during her first year in elementary school. When she was sixteen, her first book was published. Phyllis was decided to go to graduate school, but her enjoyment of writing made her decide to make her writing, full-time. On a daily schedule, she writes about six hours each day. She now lives with her husband in the state of Maryland. She does have children, but they are all grown-up.

My Opinion On This Book This book is one of the best books I have read. I recommend this book to people who likes suspenseful books. There are many other books that Phyllis has written and I hope to read some more of her books.