Bunkhouse Journal

Covering the winter of 1910-1911, when he turns 17, Sandy Mannix's journal is a sensitive and honest look at the boy's fears and feelings. Working on his cousin's husband's sheep ranch in Wyoming, Sandy wrestles with his ambivalence about his drunkard father back in Colorado, while making his tentative first steps into other, healthy relationships. The cold, loneliness and hard work provide a stark backdrop against which the young man's emotional awakening stands out sharply. Quiet and affecting, Sandy's diary entries read smoothly--reminiscent of a less complex Gary Paulsen--and offer a hopeful, realistic resolution. The lackluster cover doesn't add much allure, but Hamm's novel offers many rewards. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)