Yellow Blue Bus Means I Love You

In the tradition of A Separate Peace and Catcher in the Rye , this novel set at a New England boarding school traces a boy's coming-of-age and focuses on his first, cataclysmic experience with love. Fifteen-year-old Russian immigrant Timur Borisovich Vorobyov (shortened to Tim Boyd) is proud to be making his parents' ``American dream'' come true by attending a prestigious prep school. However, he has trouble fitting in with the other students until rich, beautiful classmate Phoebe Sayornis shows more than a passing interest in him. Shy romantic overtures soon escalate into a steamy affair, and while friends and even some faculty members try to warn Tim that he is being used, passions grow still stronger. Readers may have trouble interpreting Phoebe's motives and judging her sincerity, yet most will readily understand and empathize with Tim. Although not as memorable as Hamilton's Effie's House , this novel offers a unique perspective on American teens and their values. Tim's notions of ``making good'' in a new country offer much food for thought. Ages 12-up. (May)