BREAKOUT

It's the day 17-year-old Del has been planning for months--the day of her escape from Los Angeles, and a long string of foster homes. She's saved some cash, bought a clunker car, and even staged a fake death in case anyone cares to notice her disappearance. But her vague plan for camping in the desert between part-time jobs is thwarted by the ultimate LA frustration: a freeway traffic jam. Susan Spain voices Del's aspirations and irritations, allowing the heroine's charm to outshine her naïveté. Her young voice credibly portrays a teenager's emotional range, from sardonic to optimistic. Reading the narrative, Richard Harries describes the roadblocks (literal and metaphorical) that Del encounters in this funky little novel. N.M.C. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]