Hinton, Nigel. Collision Course.

HINTON, Nigel. Collision course. Barn Owl, dist. by IPG Chicago. 156p. c1976. 1-903015-42-1. $5.95. JS*

Ray is a normal 15-year-old boy out walking at night, bored and restless. He cannot resist a motorbike left idling with the keys in it at a nearby pub. He loses control and hits an elderly woman by the side of the road. She is killed by the impact, but Ray decides that no one has seen him and no one will be able to link the accident to him. Or could they? His conscience becomes almost more than he can control as every incident in the following days drives him insane with speculation and doubt. As he tries to act normally in family, school, sports and social situations, he finds that he is totally at odds with himself, an observer of his life instead of participating in it.

This edition of a tried and true YA book is an attempt by the publisher to keep the best children's titles published in recent years in print and in the hands of readers. The story is British so there are some terms that may be unfamiliar to young American readers, but this should not affect their enjoyment of the story. One must understand football as soccer and tea as dinner, and tolerate slang expressions like blimey as well as the British spellings of some words. The story is dated in terms of music format: Ray listens to records. This book has been used extensively in school curriculum and has teaching resources available on the Internet and from various curriculum publishers. Every school and public library should have a copy or two. Ann Hart, Trustee, Juniata County Lib., Mifflintown, PA

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.