Robert John DeLuca’s High in the Rocky Mountains: Never Tangle with a Crazy Wildcat begins with a school trip that seems built for harmless trouble. Marshall Morris, a Texas high school senior with a huge appetite and a habit of landing in scrapes, arrives at a Colorado mountain camp with his best friend, Graham. Then a younger visitor, Chrissy Davis, goes missing. Marshall’s concern sends him up a trail despite the park ranger’s warning to leave the search to professionals. He finds her, but getting her home proves far more complicated. A cougar, armed poachers, a dangerous river and two bears give the first half the feel of an adventure told by someone who enjoys asking, “What else could happen to this kid?”

Marshall gives those escapades their warmth. He’s impulsive and accident-prone, but his first thought is usually for whoever needs help. Graham’s steadiness makes their friendship convincing, and their jokes offer a welcome breather between close calls. DeLuca also gives the landscape a strong presence. Loose rock underfoot, cold water moving too fast to fight and a night spent beside a small fire make Marshall’s choices feel physical and immediate. Clarence, the young bear Marshall encounters after the river carries him away, is one of the book’s most memorable creations. Their wary, improbable connection captures the story’s affection for wild animals, even as another bear reminds Marshall how unpredictable they can be.

The trip’s consequences follow Marshall back to Texas, where the book becomes a story about trust and reputation. Chrissy keeps contacting him, and her account of their night in the woods grows increasingly troubling. Marshall can’t clearly remember part of it; an accusation then threatens his future. His mother, Graham, and a local lawyer rally around him, while Chrissy’s father uses his influence to press the case. These chapters give the adventure a longer reach and show how stubbornly Marshall holds to his sense of responsibility, even when he’s frightened. They also expose a tension in the book’s breezy tone. Chrissy’s admission that she drugged Marshall deserves more space for its effect on him than the story allows, especially as it moves quickly into the legal dispute.

Readers of Carl Hiaasen’s Hoot may recognize the appeal of an earnest young person getting tangled up with reckless adults and memorable wildlife. DeLuca brings that energy to a more sprawling story, one that travels from mountain trails to a Little League field, family kitchens and a police station. The baseball episode, in which Marshall helps a shy boy find his confidence, is especially revealing: it shows the same generosity that sent him looking for Chrissy in the first place, without requiring another brush with death. High in the Rocky Mountains is at its most engaging when Marshall’s clumsiness and kindness meet in the same scene. He can make a mess of a simple task, and you’ll still understand why his friends trust him when things get hard.

Pages: 268 | ASIN : B0HJBTNZCP