Rabbit in the Rock

Talbert ( The Paper Knife ; Toby ) shifts his focus from middle-grade boys to a teenage girl, and from the Midwest to New Mexico--the scenery is evoked with the same burning intensity as his heroine's burgeoning emotions. Life for 16-year-old Bernie takes a sudden turn when she finds the most beautiful boy she's ever seen camping out with equipment taken from her family's dude ranch. The young man turns out to be Sean Raven, lead singer in his father's popular rock band. Convinced his father doesn't care about him, Sean has run away. A chance remark of Bernie's inspires him to fake his own kidnapping and he persuades her to send a ransom note. Bernie grows to care for Sean during her daily visits to sneak him food, and begins to grapple with her nascent sexuality. In helping Sean elude the FBI men searching for the kidnappers, Bernie's older brother Carlton is seriously injured. The time for running away is over and Sean gives himself up. Once again, Talbert's razor-keen prose illuminates the often-confusing state of growing up. His sensitive yet matter-of-fact handling of sexual themes is to be lauded. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)