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S.L. Rottman must be an acrobat. I don't know whether she can walk on a tight rope, or even if she can jump into the air then do a couple of flips and twists before landing on the ground again. But she is an acrobatic writer, one who writes equally compelling fiction using the first person voices of female and male characters. Two recent novels, Head above Water (Peachtree, 1999) and Stetson (Viking of Penguin Putnam, 2002), demonstrate her talent for telling stories from the perspective of teens in desperate situations. Of the four novels she has published for teen readers, Head Above Water is the one that features a female protagonist, a talented swimmer named Skye. Skye struggles to balance training rigorously for the state championships, caring for a brother who has Down syndrome, and pleasing her demanding new boyfriend. Finally, Skye sees that her family is more important to her than her racing or the pushy boyfriend. Rottman's experience as a swimming coach shines through the scenes of tough practices, tired swimmers, and elusive goals.
Stetson, her latest novel, is told from the first person voice of its eponymous character. It is a fast-paced novel with threatening characters that attract the reader to the page like a moth is attracted to flames. Stetson, the 17-year old son of a man he describes as a "drunken slob" (p. 27), tells readers about his life. His dad works at the mill, and expects his son to quit school in...