On the Volcano

Gr 7—10—Katie and her father live happily in self-imposed isolation on the rim of a dormant volcano in an unnamed country, possibly in the 1800s. One of their few contacts with other people is her father's lady friend Lorraine, who comes for extended visits and is a combination friend and surrogate mother to the teen. For her 16th birthday, Katie wins a promise from her father to take her along for the first time on one of his rare trips to the nearest town. The excursion is cut short when rough young men give Katie a hard time; however, she also meets the sheriff's handsome young deputy. Katie and her father are skilled hunters and spend much of their time pursuing game for their table. On one hunt, one of the town ruffians attacks her, but she is saved in the nick of time by her father, who metes out his brand of justice. The story is of rugged frontier living with situations that may make readers question the characters' actions, which include lying to the authorities and killing people for reasons other than self-defense. The writing has scant description of the characters' emotions, and Katie is the only character who approaches being multidimensional. The story has a happy ending, but only for the teen and her deputy.—Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC