LOCKIE LEONARD, HUMAN TORPEDO

A slapstick coming-of-age story set in a small Australian town. For his 14th birthday, Lockie gets not only a neoprene vest to keep him warm while he's surfing but also a sudden steady- -Vicki Streeton—rich, bright, and beautiful. Lockie revels in the new-found popularity this social connection brings him, while eagerly exploring both Vicki's body and the changes within himself—until it dawns on him that Vicki's emotional waters are rather shallow; as he puts it, ``I don't know anything about sex, and you don't know anything about love.'' Lockie rides the waves like a pro but he's a klutz on dry land, so there's plenty of physical comedy here, augmented by nearly impenetrable slang (``There were big kids who were better, but among the grommets Lockie ripped''). The cast is full of intriguing characters, particularly Lockie's well-read, pacifistic father, a police officer. Lockie is part of a recent crop of teenage protagonists who are willing to take some time growing up; fortunately, the author doesn't burden his lighthearted story with messages. (Fiction. YA)