Running Scared
Gloria Skurzynski, Alane Ferguson
164 pages · Released 2002 · National Geographic Kids
Content report card
Running Scared parent’s guide: what’s inside
Language
Sexual content
LGBTQ+ themes
Substance use
What it offers
A note for parents
Running Scared is an adventure mystery set in Carlsbad Cavern that combines age-appropriate thrills with themes of sibling bonding and courage. The children encounter thieves and some tense moments, but violence is mild and not graphic—typical of middle-grade adventure fiction. The story emphasizes problem-solving, teamwork, and looking after one another, with educational details about cave ecosystems woven in naturally.
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From the publisher
While lost in a tunnel at Carlsbad Cavern, thirteen-year-old Jack, eleven-year-old Ashley, and their eight-year-old foster brother, Sam, think bats and darkness are their worst problems, until they stumble across thieves. While lost in a tunnel at Carlsbad Cavern, thirteen-year-old Jack, eleven-year-old Ashley, and their eight-year-old foster brother, Sam, think bats and darkness are their worst problems, until they stumble across thieves.
Shelved under
- Juvenile Fiction
- Adventure
- Mystery
- Young Adult
- Fiction
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ISBN 9780792269489 · National Geographic Kids