Journey into Terror (Paperback) - Softcover

Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.
One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.
Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.
Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.

Grade 4-7. Wallace's fans won't be disappointed by this mystery/adventure. Samuel, 12, who lives with his mother and stepdad in an upscale Connecticut neighborhood, leaves for a visit with his nature-photographer father. At the airport, Samuel hurriedly takes some pictures to please his father, who had given him the camera. Arriving in Oklahoma, the boy meets his pregnant stepmother and same-age stepbrother. There is some rivalry between the boys but neither is very rebellious and both play by the rules. Then danger with a capital "D" enters the picture. Samuel had unwittingly photographed a shady deal and the bad guys show up to steal the film. As the plot thickens, the violence escalates. The family is beaten, bloodied, tied up, and threatened with death. When the boys escape and travel many miles for help, they must cross a military shooting range and two unsuspecting G.I.'s are murdered. Together, the boys save the day and cement their sure-to-be-lifelong friendship. Everything ends happily and the FBI explains the entire plot, which involves mercenaries, a swarthy villain, and a crooked U.S. Senator. The divorced and happily remarried parents are caring, loving, and reasonable. There is more menacing evil here than typically found in this genre, where the heavy violence is usually reserved for the bad guys or an occasional anonymous extra character. Nevertheless, the story, which should appeal to reluctant readers, is exciting.?Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library System, Orlando, FL
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