Raymond

Raymond, 12, is coolbut he's also scared. Every day he's afraid of what his father might do to him or to his mother. When his gym teacher tells the authorities that he has seen welts on Raymond's back, the boy is suddenly trapped between his father and the state. He runs away, which is also terrifying, but it gives him time to focus on what he must do next. When he returns home it is to take his mother with him to a new life with his sister. Geller's novel is fast-paced and gritty, and Raymond and his parents are not only accurate portrayals of a family in crisis but believable characters as well. The danger that Raymond and his mother face is genuine, and Raymond's choice leads to triumph in an exhilarating finish. Ages 10-up. (July)