Rating: 
Summary: Finally Justice Served
Review: After reading the book, I was outraged that this pervert Parnell gets out in 5 years. Steven is kidnapped, and raped for seven years. Parnell has a previous history of abusing a boy, and has kidnapped two boys, and practically ruined one boys life. Heck, Steven spent more time with Parnell then Parnell served. Is that fair? Well, you won't find a happy ending in this book. But, fortunately, Parnell was recently convicted of trying to buy a young boy, and now, finally, has been sentenced to Life in prison. That should have happened when he went on trial for the abduction and rape of Steven, and abduction of Timmy White.
Rating:
Summary: Finally Justice Served
Review: After reading the book, I was outraged that this pervert Parnell gets out in 5 years. Steven is kidnapped, and raped for seven years. Parnell has a previous history of abusing a boy, and has kidnapped two boys, and practically ruined one boys life. Heck, Steven spent more time with Parnell then Parnell served. Is that fair? Well, you won't find a happy ending in this book. But, fortunately, Parnell was recently convicted of trying to buy a young boy, and now, finally, has been sentenced to Life in prison. That should have happened when he went on trial for the abduction and rape of Steven, and abduction of Timmy White.
Rating:
Summary: Not Ann Rule quality, but still worth reading.
Review: Falling into the category of true crime, this is the story of young Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped at the age of seven in 1972, while walking home from school. His abductor, a pedophile named Kenneth Parnell, told him, "I've gone to court and gotten custody of you. I've changed your name to Dennis Parnell, and you're to call me 'Dad'." Steven was only a child and naive. He accepted Parnell's story and lived with him for seven years, going to school and acting like a normal child...except his "father" raped him every night. It's a really sad story, to make a massive understatement. When Steven reached his teens and became too old to satisfy his "father", Parnell kidnapped a five-year-old. Steven had had enough by them. He took the child and went to the police station and told the officers that he had been missing since 1972. But when he returned home, things were not the same. Steven never got any counseling for his traumatic experiences. His kidnapper served all of three years in prison for his crimes. Steven flunked out of high school, drank and used drugs, and was promiscuous. Just when he finally seemed to settle down, he got killed in a motorcycle accident. A few years ago this book was brought back into print with an afterword about Steven's serial killer older brother Cary Stayner. Now it's out of print again, but try to locate a copy if you like this sort of thing. While not of Ann Rule quality, I Know My First Name is Steven is a fine book.
Rating: 
Summary: Upsetting Yet Necessary Read for Parents
Review: I am the mother of several sons and I first became aware of the story of the kidnapping of Steven Stayner when I saw the premiere of the NBC Television miniseries "I Know My First Name Is Steven" in May of 1989. The miniseries was not only well written (author Mike Echols is credited with writing the story for the script) but received rave reviews by television critics at the time it was televised. Then two years later the book of the same title by Mike Echols on which the miniseries was based was published and I bought and read it. It has tremendously more background information about Steven Stayner's kidnapping and his kidnapper, Ken Parnell's, psychological background including quotes and information from this evil man's extensive psychiatric medical records. And striking to me was hearing in his own words Steven Stayner's descriptions of his sexual assaults by Parnell: This was the first time that I had ever read something like this and I found it both necessarily informative and disturbing in that I finally realized the great harm that is visited on child rape victims. Truly, along with Ernie Allen, the head of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, I would rate this book as being brilliantly written and a necessary book for parents to read to learn how to protect their children... Now Mike Echols has written and had published a new edition of "I Know My First Name Is Steven" with a new chapter about Steven's older brother, Cary Stayner, who has been arrested and has confessed to being the Yosemite serial killer of two teen girls, the mother of one of the girls, and a nature teacher. Of course, Steven is in no way responsible for his older brother's crimes, but the story makes for an interesting comparison of these two brothers' lives. This book is truly a must read both as a true crime book as well as a valuable book to help parents to protect their sons!
Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: I got this book out of my local library (since it is no longer in print). Ever since I saw the TV movie, I had wanted to read the book. Steven went through so much in his short life, and I was saddened to hear of his untimely death. It's amazing that Steven was able to survive all the things that Kenneth Parnell did to him as a young child. This family seemed like a good, normal, all American family. Now we hear that Cary Stayner is a serial killer. This is totally shocking. Maybe there was more to the Stayner family than this book covered. Perhaps Steven's kidnapping and then miraculous return home affected Cary much more than anyone could have imagined. I feel badly for the parents and three sisters who are left behind, not to mention Steven's two chldren, Ashley and Steven II.
Rating:
Summary: "I know my first name is steven"
Review: I have been ordering the book I know my first name is steven and I never got one yet and I have been waiting for a long time for the book to get to the store but never came there so I was wondering what is going on with it because I have seen the movie so money times that I liked the movie so I'm trying to get the book because I heard the book was much better then the movie. I don't think Cary stayner killed anyone he is just going thrugh a lot of things rihgt now because his brother Steven was kidnapped when a was kid and they never spent that much time together. Because Steven died at a young age I know his wife and kids miss Steven a lot it's just going to take a little bit of time for them to get over it.
Rating:
Summary: I like this book
Review: I recently started reading the book "I Know My First Name Is Steven" and I found it to be very interesting. I also saw the movie by the same title and thought that was good too. After reading the book that John Walsh wrote about his son's kidnapping and murder, I realized that I wanted to know more about Steven Stayner who was kidnapped and raped for seven long years by Ken Parnell. Steven risked his own life to escape his captor and save not only his life but the life of young Timmy White who was also kidnapped by Ken Parnell. It's a shame that Steven's life ended so tragically because he did a lot of good by telling others about what he went through after he was kidnapped. Steven helped a lot of people with his story and his legacy and memory will live on forever.
Rating:
Summary: The book is great...but where do I find the movie??
Review: I saw the movie, I KNOW MY FIRST NAME IS STEPHEN, in 1989. Since that time I have been trying to find it in video. If anyone knows where I can get the tape...please e-mail me.
Thanks...... Treisha
Rating:
Summary: Parnell arrested for trying to buy a boy in January 2003!
Review: I watched the movie in 1989 and will be buying the book. I lived 2 houses down from Steven's parents in California, and they were WONDERFUL people. My heart goes out to them for all they have gone through. I hope you will all pray for them!
Rating:
Summary: There is always more...
Review: In this dramatic story, we hear of the horrors endured by Steven Stayner. As some may also know, Parnell served only five years of his eight year sentence. What many don't know is that Parnell was convincted in 1950 for the molestation and kidnapping of an 8 yr. old. As if this wasn't enough- and his sentence obviously did nothing for him- he was caught in Jan 2003 attempting to buy a 4 yr. old. Beyond that, was Steven destined to be a victim of child abuse? Some may know that Cary Stayner, Steven's brother, was recently given the death penalty for the Yosemite murders. Cary was said to have been physically abused by his father and blamed for the disappearance of Steven, and to have been sexually abused by his uncle. (In 1990, the uncle was found shot to death- some still believe Cary was responsible although at the time, he had an alibi.) Although Steven was very heroic in finally overcoming his captor and saving the life of Timmy White, what would have become of him if he had stayed home? I recommend this book to all as a reminder of what people are actually capable of. It is also an example of why parole and leniency should not be shown to child offenders.
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