TAKEDOWN

In this corker of a hostage drama laced with humor, 13-year-old Joe watches professional wrestling with his buddies when Charlie Dorn, a murderer on a rampage, bluffs his way into Joe’s house. The seven kids deal with the problem in their own ways, revealing strengths and weaknesses in their personalities, while Joe does his best to keep the situation calm. He thinks he’s being weak to go along with Dorn’s demands, and finally turns to a fantasy about his hero, aging wrester Jack Shine. During the final struggle, the fantasy Shine guides Joe through every move. Sweeney keeps the situation as light as possible by focusing often on the quirks of adolescents and their problems. Eventually this becomes a story about heroes, and why both Joe and Shine qualify for the title. Engaging, witty, sometimes insightful, and always full of suspense, Sweeney hits her target. (Fiction. 9-14)