The most striking change in Hinton's technique is that Taming the Star Runner uses third person, rather than first person narration. Although the novel is firmly anchored in Travis's perceptions and actions, this shift suggests a new perspective on Hinton's teen-age narrators.

The autobiographical elements in the novel also herald a shift in Hinton's approach, offering a certain playfulness, a hint that she is more comfortable with her own identity. They are not inserted gratuitously, however, but are an essential part of Travis's character and of the plot.

Hinton's editor has said that she submitted the story outline for this novel to him nine years before she wrote the book, and that the outline changed very little. Hinton herself, however, has changed in the interim; she said in a recent interview, "I'm older and I'm a parent. My writing is changing."

The Adventures of...