Lasso the Moon

April Hunter and her divorced father, Jack, a recovering alcoholic, have recently moved to the island of Saint Simons from Atlanta, where Jack's drinking destroyed his cardiology practice. April-smart, independent, keenly observant and slightly cynical-takes an undefined liking to Fernando, an illegal alien being treated by her father for a serious heart condition. As April helps Fernando hide from the I.N.S., she slowly learns of his tragic life in El Salvador; sensitized to a world entirely different from her own, she learns from the mysterious fellow what real intimacy is. Though Fernando is a bit too brave and noble to be entirely believable, Covington (Lizard) conveys April's increasing attachment to him effectively, and when he disappears her loss is palpable. A well-observed setting and the thoughtfully probed relationships between April, her father and her friends add complexity to this moving story. Ages 12-up. (Mar.)