Harmon, Michael. Skate.

HARMON, Michael. Skate. Random House, Knopf. 256p. c2006. 0-375-87516-6. $15.95. (Lib. bdg: 0375-97516-0. $17.99). S *

Yes, there's a skateboard on the cover, and the main character, Ian, is a skater punk, an outcast in a sea of jocks. But the term "skate" here has more to do with the concept of running out on responsibilities, and unlike his parents, 15-year-old Ian is determined not to do that. His father skated on the family ten years ago, and his mother is a crack addict, barely able to look after herself. Ian has essentially been raising his ten-year-old brother Sam alone, but the stress of his life is taking a toll. At school, the principal is trying to get rid of him, and Ian is quick to lash out. When he punches a coach, he realizes he's in deep trouble. Ian scoops up Sam and they set out across Washington State, from Spokane to Walla Walla, to find their father.

In this realistic survival story, Ian often makes mistakes. Will he be able to accept help and dig his way out of the jam he's is? It's a gripping and suspenseful tale of coming to terms not just with the bad hand life has dealt him, but with his own faults. In the author's acknowledgments, he thanks "my mentor" Chris Crutcher, and the audience for Crutcher's fine tales of adolescents in trouble will eat up this book too. It's an impressive first novel. Some strong language. Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.