SKINK: NO SURRENDER

Kirby Heyborne is a master of character voices. Old man, teen boy, young girl, concerned mom, 20-something lowlife--all effortlessly and believably tumble from his lips. Once again revisiting the Florida wilderness he loves so much, author Hiaasen sends 14-year-old Richard and wild man Skink (a character from his adult novels) into the Choctawhatchee River area to rescue Richard's cousin, Malley, from a kidnapper. Heyborne's pacing is slightly mismatched to the text. The story is full of action, but Heyborne reads at a deliberate, steady pace that doesn't match the urgency of the story. Still, Hiaasen writes such great, goofy, strong characters that this book is a delight. G.D. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2014]