NO TURNING BACK

Dillon's friend Carol is dead, killed with a bullet intended for a falcon. They had been searching for the bird's nest; now Dillon, timid at 13, must find his way home to get help. Before he gets out of the forest, however, he meets up with the wounded falcon and a trio of talking animals. They launch him on a mystical journey during which he comes to terms with Carol's death and his own fears. Peterson (Myrna Never Sleeps, 1995) offers only sketchy facts about Dillon; Carol dies in the first sentence and never becomes real in Dillon's memories of their brief time together. His shock, horror, and grief are ultimately unconvincing, and, as a result, his survival never becomes of overriding concern to readers. (Fiction. 8-12)