What do you think?
Rate this book
Trapped in Death Cave
A CURSED TREASURE!
Everybody thinks Gary's grampa died in a fishing accident. But from a note Grampa left, Gary suspects he was murdered. The note tells of a million dollars in gold hidden in a cave and an old Indian curse promising that anyone who touches it will die! Gary and his friend Brian are sure that if they find the gold, they will also find Grampa's killer.
But treasure hunting can be deadly. Now they are stuck in a dark cavern full of tangled skeletons, restless Indian spirits, and a murderer out for their blood! Will Brian and Gary ever get out of Death Cave alive?
Everybody thinks Gary's grampa died in a fishing accident. But from a note Grampa left, Gary suspects he was murdered. The note tells of a million dollars in gold hidden in a cave and an old Indian curse promising that anyone who touches it will die! Gary and his friend Brian are sure that if they find the gold, they will also find Grampa's killer.
But treasure hunting can be deadly. Now they are stuck in a dark cavern full of tangled skeletons, restless Indian spirits, and a murderer out for their blood! Will Brian and Gary ever get out of Death Cave alive?
170 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
31 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
Bill Wallace
101 books189 followersBill Wallace was an American teacher and later an author of children's books. He started writing to quiet down his fourth grade students, who loved his stories and encouraged him to make “real” books.
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.
Bill Wallace has won numerous children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.
Bill Wallace died from Lung cancer on January 30, 2012.
Former elementary school teacher; West Elementary School, Chickasha, OK, principal, since 1977, and physical education teacher. Speaker at schools and universities in various states, including State University of New York and University of South Florida.
AWARDS:
Bluebonnet Award from Texas Association of School Librarians and Children's Round Table and Sequoyah Children's Book Award from Oklahoma State Department of Education, both 1983, Central Missouri State University Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1984, and Nebraska Golden Sowers Award from Nebraska Library Association, 1985, all for A Dog Called Kitty; Central Missouri State University Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1984, and Pine Tree Book Award, 1985, both for Trapped in Death Cave.
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.
Bill Wallace has won numerous children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.
Bill Wallace died from Lung cancer on January 30, 2012.
Former elementary school teacher; West Elementary School, Chickasha, OK, principal, since 1977, and physical education teacher. Speaker at schools and universities in various states, including State University of New York and University of South Florida.
AWARDS:
Bluebonnet Award from Texas Association of School Librarians and Children's Round Table and Sequoyah Children's Book Award from Oklahoma State Department of Education, both 1983, Central Missouri State University Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1984, and Nebraska Golden Sowers Award from Nebraska Library Association, 1985, all for A Dog Called Kitty; Central Missouri State University Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1984, and Pine Tree Book Award, 1985, both for Trapped in Death Cave.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
March 27, 2013
One of my husband's "old favorites" that he read with our boys, I gave it a try. It was pretty good, though the author didn't have much respect for his audience's intelligence. When there are only four characters, the bad guy becomes pretty obvious pretty quickly.
Mostly it served as a reminder that children's books have changed an incredible amount in 30 years. Some of that is good (kids are reading books of a size that I would NEVER have been able to predict in my years as a librarian watching boys turn down any book over 100 pages) and some is a little sad.
The thing that struck me most while reading this book is that the "regular kid" has been lost completely in modern kidlit. While these boys spoke in incorrect grammar, local slang, and choppy, incomplete sentences, like most blue collar Oklahoma boys would, I realized that kidlit has been completely taken over by the super-witty, well-educated, upper-class sounding hero. Even Percy Jackson, who is supposed to be a lower-class kid who mostly fails his classes, sounds like a Harvard grad compared to these characters. I don't know how I feel about that. Certainly I can't mourn correct grammar and witty banter in children's books, and it clearly gives good models of speech and "smartness=coolness." But it suddenly made me wonder if we have accidentally left behind a major portion of the kid population. If an 11 year old boy from Oklahoma can't find anyone who sounds like him in any book currently on the market, what is he to conclude? Just something that made me think.
Mostly it served as a reminder that children's books have changed an incredible amount in 30 years. Some of that is good (kids are reading books of a size that I would NEVER have been able to predict in my years as a librarian watching boys turn down any book over 100 pages) and some is a little sad.
The thing that struck me most while reading this book is that the "regular kid" has been lost completely in modern kidlit. While these boys spoke in incorrect grammar, local slang, and choppy, incomplete sentences, like most blue collar Oklahoma boys would, I realized that kidlit has been completely taken over by the super-witty, well-educated, upper-class sounding hero. Even Percy Jackson, who is supposed to be a lower-class kid who mostly fails his classes, sounds like a Harvard grad compared to these characters. I don't know how I feel about that. Certainly I can't mourn correct grammar and witty banter in children's books, and it clearly gives good models of speech and "smartness=coolness." But it suddenly made me wonder if we have accidentally left behind a major portion of the kid population. If an 11 year old boy from Oklahoma can't find anyone who sounds like him in any book currently on the market, what is he to conclude? Just something that made me think.
July 14, 2020
I had to read this book for school in the fourth grade and was thoroughly traumatized. This book features thriller topics that are absolutely age-inappropriate for children which include but are not limited to: murder, paranormal activity, the undead, and intense situational suspense. Needless to say, my phobia of snakes also took a terrible turn for the worse during the course of this book reading. This book is the singular worst experience I have ever had with literature in my entire life.
January 17, 2019
3.5 STARS
May 2, 2017
29th book read in 2017.
Number 317 out of 594 on my all time book list.
Number 317 out of 594 on my all time book list.
March 5, 2022
I read this one a few years back, and I really enjoyed it. Great thriller for beginners
April 27, 2024
4.5/5 This is definitely for a younger age, but it gets high marks from me because this is the first chapter book I ever read myself AND finished as a kid.
So this was the first non-picture book for me in which I discovered that reading can be fun and that a longer book does not have to mean it is a boring book or a waste of time.
I highly recommend it for elementary kids!
It was recommended to me by a teacher 😊 and I am so grateful!!!
So this was the first non-picture book for me in which I discovered that reading can be fun and that a longer book does not have to mean it is a boring book or a waste of time.
I highly recommend it for elementary kids!
It was recommended to me by a teacher 😊 and I am so grateful!!!
May 8, 2008
I just finished this book last night with my family and I just loved it! It was soo cool and everything. At first I will admit it was kinda boring and I wasn't interested but then you know I started to really get into this book and I really did enjoy it.
January 11, 2022
I originally got this book through a "blind date with a book" bag at my local used bookstore and wasn't sure if I would ever get around to reading it. I am so GLAD I did. What an absolutely adorable, fun, spooky and fast paced little middle grade.
I would have loved this as a child (still very much enjoyed this as an adult) it's very rare to get as much horror, thriller and mystery in a middle grade like this. There were elements of this book that had my heart-racing. The atmosphere and descriptions of the cave were everything. The more that I think of it there was actually quite a few atmospheric and perfectly described moments throughout this read that really captured the element of the story and made you feel like you could visualize every moment.
You definitely knew who the "antagonist" was right away but to be honest it still didn't take away how much I enjoyed this light read. It was very Goony-esque. Who doesn't want to enjoy a little adventurous treasure hunting in a cursed cave with their best friend and the town "witch"?
I would have loved this as a child (still very much enjoyed this as an adult) it's very rare to get as much horror, thriller and mystery in a middle grade like this. There were elements of this book that had my heart-racing. The atmosphere and descriptions of the cave were everything. The more that I think of it there was actually quite a few atmospheric and perfectly described moments throughout this read that really captured the element of the story and made you feel like you could visualize every moment.
You definitely knew who the "antagonist" was right away but to be honest it still didn't take away how much I enjoyed this light read. It was very Goony-esque. Who doesn't want to enjoy a little adventurous treasure hunting in a cursed cave with their best friend and the town "witch"?
June 20, 2017
A+ 80's boys' adventure story. Exactly the thing for when you crave some old fashioned treasure-huntin' with a side of murder mystery and Indian legend.
March 26, 2018
I loved this book when I was a kid. I must have read it half a dozen times and kept it for my own kids to read. Some of them have read it more than once, and it was a exciting story to revisit.
September 20, 2019
Meh..that’s all I can muster to say about this book..meh.
March 21, 2020
My husbands favorite childhood book, decided to give it a try. Perfect for young tweens looking for an adventure.
Read
April 13, 2023This is an entertaining book. I'm sure if I was the intended audience, I'd have liked it even more. As it is, I had trouble suspending disbelief. Even so, I enjoyed it.
February 16, 2025
4 stars because I read this back in 6th grade & the illustration of a snake and skull on the cover stuck in my memory for so long that I spent many random days trying to find the title of this book some 10-15 years later… a 3 star read in hindsight, but a 4-5 star impression on a young boy!
June 9, 2013
As the blurb of the book says, people in the town thinks that Gary's grandpa died in a fishing accident, but he was actually murdered by a policeman in the town. Gary found out that he was murdered with the note his grandpa left, and the note tells him that there is a cave with golds that worth million of dollars and anyone who touches it will die. Gary and his best friend Brian went to search for the golds and believed that they will find the killer. They found the place, but the two children and Mrs. Becker(she went with Brian to rescue Gary who was kidnapped) were trapped in the Snake Dancer’s cave by Odie, the policeman of the town. The story gets really interesting and full of actions when they are trapped in the cave and had no way to escape. Mrs. Becker knew what happened to Gary’s grandpa and she told the kids what happened, and she said that Odie killed him because of greed. The three of them struggled in the cave and was able to escape with the help of the rain and a mysterious ghost. And Odie, was cursed by the snakes and died because of his greediness for taking the golds.
This book is really interesting and it gets to action right away. If you read the book, you will find yourself flipping the books continuously and trying to find out what happens next. The theme of the book is greed, and it tells people that whoever is greedy will always end up losing everything, even their lives.
This book is really interesting and it gets to action right away. If you read the book, you will find yourself flipping the books continuously and trying to find out what happens next. The theme of the book is greed, and it tells people that whoever is greedy will always end up losing everything, even their lives.
August 27, 2019
2019
I read this to J&J when they were ages 8&5 and they loved it. I read it to WW&R this time around at ages 8,6,&3 and they all loved it too. Super simple book with a fast plot and they begged for more chapters every day.
2010
I enjoyed reading this book when I was a kid, so I thought my kids would enjoy me reading it to them. They loved it! The plot moves quickly, isn't overly complicated, has a witch, snakes, bones, a cave, and a twist on who the bad guy is (ok, really obvious twist, but they're too young to catch it haha)--overall, plenty of excitement! Fun read with the kids! :)
I read this to J&J when they were ages 8&5 and they loved it. I read it to WW&R this time around at ages 8,6,&3 and they all loved it too. Super simple book with a fast plot and they begged for more chapters every day.
2010
I enjoyed reading this book when I was a kid, so I thought my kids would enjoy me reading it to them. They loved it! The plot moves quickly, isn't overly complicated, has a witch, snakes, bones, a cave, and a twist on who the bad guy is (ok, really obvious twist, but they're too young to catch it haha)--overall, plenty of excitement! Fun read with the kids! :)
July 23, 2008
Wallace is amazing at capturing the voices of these children. And brings to life the mystery and magic surrounding a part of America so often overlooked. As a fellow Oklahoma writer, I certainly look up to his accomplishments and I even penned a certain homage to this particular book - a childhood favorite - in my short story, "The Iron Door: Curse of the Sierra Jumanos." Wallace, you rock!
February 4, 2008
My mom recommended this for the boys and they were glued. I confess that it was the first book we actually finished reading. Samuel is not interested in reading at all and he really got into this one! Great for K-3 boys.
April 29, 2009
i've read this book 2 times and it just keeps getting better!
March 23, 2012
My 4th graders love this book. I read it aloud every year.
June 15, 2020
After struggling to grit-my-teeth-and-bear-it my way through this book's casual racism ("magical Natives" trope, anyone?) and just shy of racist "country" turns of phrase (I literally had to put the book down at one point to go check the origin of the phrase "in a coon's age" to see if Wallace was literally talking about raccoons or if there was a straight-up slur in this children's book...), I give up. I made it to the scene in which the two little boys get into a pages-long fist fight over whether or not one of them is "chicken".
The scene lasts for multiple pages and finally ends with the two boys literally falling into a bunch of shit, and if that's not an apt metaphor, then I don't know what is.
When it comes to the casual racism alone, I could probably convince myself to push on and keep reading. When it comes to the violent displays of childhood toxic masculinity alone, I could probably convince myself to push on and keep reading. But I'm not going to struggle against multiple different fronts of toxic bullshit just to read a children's adventure story. Neither of these issues should even be in a children's book in the first place.
I'm quite content to just leave this book back in the 80s where it belongs, thanks.
He kept slugging at Gary. Every once in a while, he felt the soft "give" as his knuckles slammed into Gary's stomach. [...] Brian tried to throw him off--only every time he raised his head, Gary'd hit it, making Brian's face bounce against the pavement. [...] Now he was on top. He started pounding Gary in the face. He'd punch him, then wait until Gary's head had time to bounce against the road before he hit him again.
The scene lasts for multiple pages and finally ends with the two boys literally falling into a bunch of shit, and if that's not an apt metaphor, then I don't know what is.
When it comes to the casual racism alone, I could probably convince myself to push on and keep reading. When it comes to the violent displays of childhood toxic masculinity alone, I could probably convince myself to push on and keep reading. But I'm not going to struggle against multiple different fronts of toxic bullshit just to read a children's adventure story. Neither of these issues should even be in a children's book in the first place.
I'm quite content to just leave this book back in the 80s where it belongs, thanks.
November 6, 2018
The book I am reading is Trapped in Death Cave by Bill Wallace. The story takes place in a camp on a mountain side with high skies and low caves. There are three main characters Brian, Gary, and Grandpa. They way I came about this book is from Mrs. Brownsworth told me to read a book from the library.
There is a mystery on weather Grandpa died or he was murdered in cold blood. Brain and Gary are two friends who have a hunch that Grandpa was killed. They know he was in pursuit of some treasure deep within the caves. After his discovery of a map he soon turned up missing. Gary and Brian think that who ever may have killed Grandpa was also interested in the gold.
I like the ending I knew it had to have a good ending because what's a book with out one right. I like how they all came together after the hardships. My favorite part of the book is when the are making there journey.
This is a very great book if your into an adventure. A similar event was National Treasures 2. If you like adventures you would love this book.
There is a mystery on weather Grandpa died or he was murdered in cold blood. Brain and Gary are two friends who have a hunch that Grandpa was killed. They know he was in pursuit of some treasure deep within the caves. After his discovery of a map he soon turned up missing. Gary and Brian think that who ever may have killed Grandpa was also interested in the gold.
I like the ending I knew it had to have a good ending because what's a book with out one right. I like how they all came together after the hardships. My favorite part of the book is when the are making there journey.
This is a very great book if your into an adventure. A similar event was National Treasures 2. If you like adventures you would love this book.
February 7, 2018
One of my 2018 resolutions is to read all of the unread books on my bookshelf. Hence why I read Trapped In Death Cave by Bill Wallace–a book suggested for children ages 9-12.
I’ve been picking up some heavier reads, & by heavier I mean more brain books than “for fun” books. It was nice to breeze through an easy read & just enjoy the content.
The two main characters, Gary & Brian, are adorable–I’m sure they’re not meant to be adorable for the intended reader, but if you’re 25+ they might remind you of the semi-obnoxious, but cute, kids you babysat in college.
The plot is a surprisingly morbid for a fifth grader (death cave???) considering my little brother or I probably got this at a Scholastic Book Fair in elementary school.
Do you read children’s books/young adult literature? If so, what are your favorite books to go back to from your childhood? Also, are there still Scholastic Book Fairs? If not, that's sad, but also let’s get an adult version going! Or is that kinda what Barnes & Noble is?
November 26, 2024
Currently rereading this childhood favorite after finding it at my parents' house. So far, it is not holding up incredibly well, but we'll see.OK, I'm done. It was not good, with awesome moments that made me remember why I loved it.
So, what didn't hold up-1. All the talk about Native Americans. I realize it was the 80s and it was the messaging of the time, but it's so racist with the knowledge and context I have now! 2. The rattlesnake slander was weird as heck-they're not slimy or evil, and it's very weird for Brian to conclude that snakes are the evil thing in the mountain. 3. Gary and Brian's big fight was super messed up. Are we sure they're best friends? 3.The first half of the book actually isn't very exciting. I kept wondering when they'd get to the cave.
Things that still work-1. Mrs. Becker being super hardcore. Literally everything she does is cooler and more amazing that anything anyone else does. 2. The actual death cave stuff is thrilling and has a real sense of dread to it. 3. The escape!!!
Anyhow, I was tempted to rate this higher, because the ending is actually so fun (and definitely why I loved this book as a kid). If only it were the ending of a much better book. It did make me curious to reread my favorite Bill Wallace book from childhood, Buffalo Gal. If I do, I'll update here!
So, what didn't hold up-1. All the talk about Native Americans. I realize it was the 80s and it was the messaging of the time, but it's so racist with the knowledge and context I have now! 2. The rattlesnake slander was weird as heck-they're not slimy or evil, and it's very weird for Brian to conclude that snakes are the evil thing in the mountain. 3. Gary and Brian's big fight was super messed up. Are we sure they're best friends? 3.The first half of the book actually isn't very exciting. I kept wondering when they'd get to the cave.
Things that still work-1. Mrs. Becker being super hardcore. Literally everything she does is cooler and more amazing that anything anyone else does. 2. The actual death cave stuff is thrilling and has a real sense of dread to it. 3. The escape!!!
Anyhow, I was tempted to rate this higher, because the ending is actually so fun (and definitely why I loved this book as a kid). If only it were the ending of a much better book. It did make me curious to reread my favorite Bill Wallace book from childhood, Buffalo Gal. If I do, I'll update here!
November 29, 2018
I liked trapped in a Death cave because it was about a mystery of how Gary's Grandpa died in a fishing accident.But Gary knew that he didn't die in a accident because his grandpa fished in the same spot for years never slipped once on the edge of his fishing spot. Gary went with his friend Brian to look for hidden gold that Gary's gold kept a secret and was cursed and if you touched it you could die.I would recommend this book to any person that likes mysteries or suspense.
October 27, 2019
The best thing about this book isn't the mystery (which is pretty simple), but the casual kindness between the characters and the descriptions of the protagonist's experiences. I practically memorized this book in 4th grade, and recently remembered it. I checked it out from the library. Reading it was a trip down memory lane. I was glad that the way the author's treatment of a (fictionalized) Native American concept was fairly respectful.
February 14, 2018
Let's get this out of the way - even for a book for boys, this title is the lowest effort possible. Even "Trapped in the Cave of Death" would've been better. Or "Skull Cave" maybe. But Death Cave? I guess it sets you up for the book...
Anyway, the book was fine. Good for a kid but there was no real interesting hook or draw to this. Very formulaic and basic, if solid otherwise.
Anyway, the book was fine. Good for a kid but there was no real interesting hook or draw to this. Very formulaic and basic, if solid otherwise.
May 7, 2023
It's been years since I read this book to a class of third graders. When given the opportunity to substitute for a third grade class, I was thrilled. The children had never heard of this book or Bill Wallace. The kids loved the book! Everyday they begged for another chapter. I feel like this is a timeless mystery for children.
October 5, 2023
This was my favorite book as a child, and also the first one I ever read completely in one sitting in 3rd grade. I knew what an antagonist was, but none had really gripped me in such a profound way, and Gary's escape was super cool! Really instilled a desire for adventure within me. I keep a select number of books from my past to browse back through every now and then and this is one of em. :)
November 28, 2017
I read this book many years ago (~30). Not many books could capture my attention after a page or two but this book kept me reading until the end. I would recommend this book to the little guy in your life who struggles with finishing a book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews