LosAngeles-based production house Puzzle Box Productions is teaming up withauthors Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner to adapt their Scholastic Booksteen horror bestseller Scared Stiff for the big screen.

The story involves a brotherand sister who live above their parent's mortuary business and work together tostop the corpse of a vengeful mass murderer from returning to life.

"The potentialaudience for Scared Stiff is huge,' Puzzle Box's William Moreing said in a statement.

"There are manyR-rated horror films released every year but virtually none that are intendedfor younger teens and pre-teens, who, as is evident from the book'soverwhelming success, enjoy a good horror thriller as much as the next person."

Stage producerLaura Weil Gleason is serving as a producer on the project with Moreing.

Scared Stiff marks Moreing's second feature after JoyfulPartaking, a dark comedyhe wrote and directed that was released in the US through Film Threat.

Beecham and Hillgartner havecollaborated on more than 100 books for children and young adults, as well asparenting titles including the Hooked On Phonics series.