The Tiger Orchard

Beneath Zachary Lloyd's calm, self-assured demeanor lie intimations of terror which surface only in nightmares. With the help of a therapist, the high school senior is able to connect symbols from his dreams (tigers, apple orchards, a ghost-like figure) to deeply buried secrets from childhood--chiefly, his mother's false proclamation that their father is dead. This novel about self-discovery is perhaps the most psychologically taut of Sweeney's books ( The Dream Collector ; Face the Dragon ). Readers will be hooked from the very first paragraph--a vivid description of one of Zack's dreams. Scenes of Zack's daily life--for example, his exchanges with his sexy girlfriend and with his outwardly saintly mother--are cross-cut with Zack's flashbacks, and these build climactically toward Zack's eventual reunion with his father. Although the fate of the formerly down-and-out alcoholic Mr. Lloyd may seem a little too miraculous, the warmth and tenderness between son and long-lost father remain touching and convincing. Sweeney's absorbing drama reveals remarkable insight into family relationships and human nature. Ages 12-up. (May)