Pictures of Adam

A shimmering study of bittersweet friendship and first love, by the author of Alan and Naomi, A Shadow Like a Leopard, etc. Lisa is attracted to Adam's lonely shyness; when Adam tells her he's really an alien from Vega-X and offers to show her his space capsule, Lisa is intrigued. She sees Adam's ramshackle house in the hills, his plain, simple mother and her early American ways, and knows that she must capture their lives on film. As Lisa is drawn further into Adam's fantasy, the tension between their two worlds mounts to a violent conclusion. But in the end, it's the strength of Lisa's vision that gives Adam the chance to let go. Strong, vivid characters combined with humor and poignancy create an unforgettable love story, one to be read and reread. (12-up)