Pickle & Price

In the tradition of Huckleberry Finn , this novel traces the adventures of two traveling companions who leave a small Southern town in search of freedom. The story begins in the year 1950 when 13-year-old ``Pickle'' Sherburn decides to run away from his abusive father. Joining Pickle is Price Douglas, a black man who has served time at the prison farm run by Pickle's father. As they head north to Detroit, then west to California, the two experience a mixture of good and bad fortune while encountering a number of colorful characters. Their inner growth and loyalty to one another are as vividly portrayed as the succession of contrasting landscapes. When Pickle and Price finally part ways to return to their respective homes, they have gained insight about themselves and the world. Through resonant prose, Van Raven ( The Great Man's Secret ) depicts the rewards and risks of exploration. Readers will discover authentic voices expressing ideas about loneliness, prejudice and survival. Ages 12-up. ( Mar .)