What Hearts
Quieter but no less penetrating than Brooks's futuristic No Kidding , this present-day saga traces the formative years of Asa, who has spent most of his life moving from one town to another with his emotionally fragile mother and bullying stepfather. Like the protagonist of No Kidding , Asa takes on the role of protector as he chooses to make sacrifices in order to save his mother's marriage or prevent her from falling into a depressive state. Effectively revealing the psychological burdens of an intelligent, sensitive child, this book remains honest and intense from beginning to end. Asa's isolation and mental batterment by his stepfather create somber undertones, yet the book does offer some uplifting moments (Asa's first experience with romance, for example), which illustrate how spiritual renewal can occur under even the grimmest conditions. Ages 10-up.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.