Girls Can't Do It

Zo, who adores the ocean, and Jon, a surfing enthusiast, meet uring troubled times. Zo's father has just been told he has a malignant brain tumor, and Jon is distraught over his divorced mother's suicide attempt. Although Zo has been hoping for a boyfriend, Jon hesitates to fill the role: he thinks girls can only hamper a surfer's career. Yet during Christmas break, the two seniors travel to California for a surfing vacation that nearly destroys their relationship. The main characters in Filichia's overly prolonged story behave nonsensically: Jon's trip with Zo, a novice he hardly knows, is baffling, especially when his initial attraction to her is not particularly intense. It's equally puzzling when the level-headed Zo lambastes Jon unfairly on the last night of their trip. But the novel, told from both Zo and Jon's perspective, does explore the complex and conflicting emotions experienced by new couples. And, given the abundance of surfing facts and jargon, the book should please fans of this popular sport. Ages 12-up. (June)