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The Vanishing Scarecrow
Life at the children's amusement park becomes a nightmare for twelve-year-old Joan when she tries to discover who is sabotaging the park's operation.
189 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1971
About the author
Phyllis A. Whitney
190 books572 followersPhyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".
She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 8, 2025
Phyllis A. Whitney was known for her books of romantic gothic suspense and mystery, but she also wrote wonderful mysteries for children and young adults. Those books were always more than the sum of their parts, and The Vanishing Scarecrow is no exception.
Whitney adeptly wove into her mystery stories, gentle life lessons that made you feel like you were richer and had more understanding of the adult world by the time you’d turned the final page. As a youth, her stories not only entertained, but brought you that tiny bit closer to being an adult. Whitney’s combination of old-fashioned values and insight into the feelings of young ones struggling to grow up and understand what it was all about, marked her books for pre-teens and teenagers as special, as they remain today.
The Vanishing Scarecrow is slightly unusual however, in that there is quite a bit of exciting action along the way, especially in a frantic finale that contains a revelation that changes everything. Younger readers, and, I suspect older ones as well, will find Joan to be one of Whitney’s most endearing young protagonists. The theme park designed by Joan’s uncle to ignite the imagination of children and give them some thrills along the way, to teach them they can be brave, makes a splendid set piece and backdrop to the intrigue and mystery of the incidents going on in the park after Joan and her mother arrive as caretakers of Uncle Agate’s dream, upon his death.
I won’t go into more, but it’s both fun and exciting, with some lovely moments and life lessons along the way. Unlike most Whitney books, this one has an older young adult ending as well; the ending allows readers to imagine scenarios for Joan’s future, rather than having everything tidied up for them. They too, are taught to use their imaginations.
A wonderful Whitney young adult classic, which was a Christmas gift I’ll read more than once for sure. Highly recommended, but if you’re a nostalgic adult, it might make you a little wistful that no one like Whitney is around any longer, guiding readers through their youth while entertaining them so memorably.
Whitney adeptly wove into her mystery stories, gentle life lessons that made you feel like you were richer and had more understanding of the adult world by the time you’d turned the final page. As a youth, her stories not only entertained, but brought you that tiny bit closer to being an adult. Whitney’s combination of old-fashioned values and insight into the feelings of young ones struggling to grow up and understand what it was all about, marked her books for pre-teens and teenagers as special, as they remain today.
The Vanishing Scarecrow is slightly unusual however, in that there is quite a bit of exciting action along the way, especially in a frantic finale that contains a revelation that changes everything. Younger readers, and, I suspect older ones as well, will find Joan to be one of Whitney’s most endearing young protagonists. The theme park designed by Joan’s uncle to ignite the imagination of children and give them some thrills along the way, to teach them they can be brave, makes a splendid set piece and backdrop to the intrigue and mystery of the incidents going on in the park after Joan and her mother arrive as caretakers of Uncle Agate’s dream, upon his death.
I won’t go into more, but it’s both fun and exciting, with some lovely moments and life lessons along the way. Unlike most Whitney books, this one has an older young adult ending as well; the ending allows readers to imagine scenarios for Joan’s future, rather than having everything tidied up for them. They too, are taught to use their imaginations.
A wonderful Whitney young adult classic, which was a Christmas gift I’ll read more than once for sure. Highly recommended, but if you’re a nostalgic adult, it might make you a little wistful that no one like Whitney is around any longer, guiding readers through their youth while entertaining them so memorably.
November 20, 2009
Phyllis Whitney has always been one of my favorite authors. This book is one of her YA ones. It takes place on an island that Uncle Agate has turned into a popular amusement park- no rides but lots of exhibits and theme buildings. Uncle Agate's will states that Joan Lang and her mother must spend 3 years living on Rainbow Island before inheriting it. But of course things aren't that easy. Someone has been messing with the exhibits and a menacing scarecrow keeps appearing and scaring the manager's wife. Joan isn't even sure she can trust the manager's daughter or the two teen-aged sons of the woman who runs the gift shop and lives on the island. The book contains all the proper mystery and surprises that readers come to expect of Phyllis Whitney. The only thing I would change is the title- it should be called "The Menacing Scarecrow".
June 20, 2008
Not the best of Whitney's young adult books, but still good.
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October 20, 2010I loved her books in elementary school.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews