TOUGHING IT

Tuff's brother, Dillon, means everything to him, so when he's brutally murdered, Tuff sets out to find the killers and exact revenge. His alcoholic mother is no help, but as Tuff is leaving home, she tells him to find the man who, she says, is his father. Tuff's journey is both physical and emotional as he learns to manage anger and discovers adults who care about what happens to him. Heller's reading is outstanding. He's utterly persuasive as a 16-year-old boy, and his dramatic performance is an emotional tour de force. Tuff's anger, pain and sorrow are evoked so convincingly that listeners will be drawn into the story from the outset. S.S.R. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 97]