Books like Takers and Returners by Carol Beach York
Fiveteen‑year‑old Julian Snowers devises a new game called Takers and Returners, hoping to break up the summer lull. With the town’s only movie theater already exhausted, the children gather around his idea, drawn in by his charismatic leadership. As the game unfolds, the rules become increasingly strange and the participants realize that the cost of play is far greater than anyone expected. Carol Beach York’s story builds tension through the children’s escalating fear while exploring themes of innocence, manipulation, and the dangers of unchecked power.
First publish date: March 1973
Genre: Young Adult Fiction/YA Contemporary Fiction
Authors: Carol Beach York
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