Mariposa Blues

Adolescence is making Graham edgy and ill-tempered with nearly everyone--especially with his father, a successful racehorse trainer. Sometimes it seems to Graham that his father will never let him make his own decisions. Their conflict peaks when the boy goes to work for a rival trainer. Graham's soul-searching is neatly counterbalanced by snappy dialogue and the sheer excitement of horse racing. A cast of quirky characters and an optimistic, open-ended resolution give this novel extra sparkle. As in The Arizona Kid , Koertge once again provides readers an unmistakably authentic glimpse of life at the racetrack. Ages 12-up. (May)