“Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom” by David Neilsen

• 02/05/2018
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DR. FELL AND THE PLAYGROUND OF DOOM

David Neilsen
Yearling Mystery (2017)
ISBN 9781101935811
Reviewed by Autumn Stout (age 12) for Reader Views (02/18)

“Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom” by David Neilsen is seriously creepy fun. The children on Hardscrabble Street are in for a spooky surprise when Dr. Fell moves into the abandoned house in which all the neighborhood children have played for years.

In Dr. Fell’s attempt to make amends for taking away their playhouse, the children come home from school to find an amazing playground. The children seemed to be drawn mysteriously to the enormous wooden structure as if some powerful force was calling to them, except for Jerry and his sister Gail and her best friend Nancy. When kids start to get hurt on the playground, Dr. Fell is all too happy to fix them up and send them on their way. Jerry, Gail and Nancy start wondering how some of the kids who are getting seriously injured, are somehow perfectly fine the next day, Dr. Fells no longer seems like the nice man everyone thinks he is. Soon these friends will realize they are the only ones that can save their town from Dr. Fell and his creepy playground.

Who is Dr. Fell and what power does he hold over the neighborhoods around Hardscrabble Street? Will the three friends figure out what Dr. Fell is up too in time? And is there anyone that can help them?

“Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom” by David Neilsen is truly creepy as the sinister plan of Dr. Fell is revealed. I loved how the story line was both a mystery and creepy adventure which kept you on the edge of your seat to the very last page. The book states it is for readers 8-12, but I think older kids would also enjoy it just as much. Frightening, suspenseful and full of action, I really liked how it felt like you were right there with the characters in their desperate battle to save their town from Dr. Fell. I look forward to reading many more books by David Neilsen.