THE DARWIN EXPEDITION

Written and formatted for reluctant older readers, this compressed coming-of-age adventure casts two contemporary teens into a three-day scramble through mountainous wilderness after their truck turns over on a remote logging road. Shuttling between anxiety and bravado as they struggle along forested slopes, cautious Liam and his brash buddy Tej also continue an ongoing argument, about whether Liam will stay in their comfortable, familiar small town after high school, or venture with Tej out into the wide world. Tullson tosses in not one but several bears to crank up the suspense, leads up to a wild climactic slide down a scree-covered pitch and closes with both a dramatic rescue and an important life decision. Combining plenty of action with realistically cogent concerns, this should find some success with its target audience. (Fiction. 14-18)