Locked Out

Gina Blake, the single-minded heroine of this one-dimensional novel, has a mission. New in town, she is driven to overturn her high school's draconian policy of locking all but one set of campus restrooms as a measure against student smoking. Inspired by a dynamic sociology teacher who focuses his lectures on political activism, Gina takes on the school administration, and the school board, with a determination approaching fanaticism. After a futile meeting with the principal-a flatly drawn, almost despotic character-Gina begins using protest techniques learned in class, including a petition campaign, speaking out at a school board meeting and rallying a group of students to the cause. That Gina's efforts go awry at every turn, and that the simple solution to the problem-smoke detectors-is arrived at almost by chance, undermine the momentum and even the point of the story. Ages 12-up.(Feb.)