Good audiobook, with a suitably creepy villain and weird mystery.

The children who live on Hardscrabble Street are upset to learn that an abandoned house, their favorite playground, is no longer abandoned. It has been purchased by Dr. Fell, a man of indeterminate, but advanced. age. Attired in a long, black coat and a purple top hat, he is accompanied by many crates and large boxes.

The next morning, the children see the ultimate in playgrounds in his front yard. It has everything a child could possibly want in a playground. The children spend every spare minute at the playground. All of the elementary schools in town establish regular school bus routes to Dr. Fell's playground.

With any group of children playing, there are going to be bruises, skinned knees and other minor injuries. Dr. Fell takes them into his house to get fixed up, and they emerge brainwashed. Even more serious injuries are fixed by Dr. Fell like they are nothing.

As time goes on, the popularity of Dr. Fell's playground grows to the point where every elementary school within twenty miles sends their children to him. The brainwashing includes the parents, who want Dr. Fell to do their children's yearly physical (even if they have just had their yearly physical).

Jerry, Gail and Nancy are the only ones not under Dr. Fell's spell. Can they discover his evil plan before it is too late? Does Dr. Fell plan to take over the world, starting with the children?

Intended for children 8 - 12 years old, this is a gem of a book. It works really well as a mystery, and it will certainly keep the reader's interest. ( )

Summary: Three children must defeat a mysterious doctor who builds an irresistible and dangerous playground in their neighborhood and then uses his power to heal children who get injured - stealing some of their life essence in the process.

Personal reaction: This is a delightfully mischievous and quirky land of adventure that children and adults alike can delve into. Entwined are lessons of teamwork, friendship, and critical thinking; all subtly placed within the dark and twisted world of Dr. Fell's playground.

Classroom extension: Students can easily relate to the concept of playgrounds, thus activities (such as obstacle courses, and team-building activities) can be built into the framework of the playground. ( )