DOWNRIVER

Alarmed by changes in her behavior and choice of friends, Jessie's father sends her to a wilderness survival school for troubled youth. But the rebellious teens elude their guide, steal the rafting gear and set off to tackle the wild river of the Grand Canyon on their own. Christina Moore reads with expressiveness and energy, providing each teen character with a distinctive voice, tinged by ethnic, urban or regional accents. She less ably conveys emotional honesty with the adult male roles and veers toward stereotyping with New Age flower child Star. But teens won't mind; they'll plunge into the excitement of the river-rafting and the psychological power plays, enjoying the suspense of the tale and the personalities of characters given added vitality by Moore's narration. D.M.L. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 99]