Lynn Redgrave's reasonable tone and measured reading lend credence to a fantasy about dolls that come to life when humans aren't paying attention. This sequel to THE DOLL PEOPLE, which can stand alone, follows best friends Annabelle and Tiffany as they find adventure. Redgrave sensitively takes cues from the text to create voices for the characters. Annabelle and her family have light British accents appropriate for dolls crafted in England in 1898. Plastic Tiffany has a squeaky and distinctly American voice. The paper dolls have breathy singsong voices, and Mean Mimi sounds believably mean. Well-timed side breaks combine with Redgrave's performance to create a light and fun listen. A.F.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: 2003
Duration: 4 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Lemony Snicket, who became known for challenging listeners’ vocabularies in his Series of Unfortunate Events, chooses 13 seemingly random words and arranges them into the story of a “despondent” bird and a dog who tries to cheer his friend by visiting a “haberdashery” to buy a hat with “panache.” Michael Emerson’s intonations and phrasing allow listeners to picture characters and settings even without Maira Kalman's illustrations. He encourages listeners to savor the sounds of words as the author intended. Who wouldn’t buy a hat from a breathy sales-baby who describes “panache” as “a kind of verve or swagger”? In an amazing artistic interpretation, Snicket’s final word, “mezzo-soprano,” becomes an opera of the book, created by real-life composer Nico Muhly.
Ages 8+Pub Date: 2010
Duration: 6 mins
DD ISBN: 9781443404433
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Author and narrator Enrique Flores-Galbis is a master of duality in this nuanced story of the Cuban revolution. His writing and narration are superb. In both, his humble style of storytelling is arresting. When revolution comes to Cuba, Julian is just a boy. He doesn’t even know what a revolution is. In leaving Cuba and losing his family, Julian finds new ways in which he’s both vulnerable and strong. Flores-Galbis’s voice embodies the contradictions of Julian’s experience. We hear that vulnerability in a soft, almost hesitant, voice; underneath is a quiet confidence. The pacing ebbs and flows as naturally as the tide between Havana and Miami as Julian figures out what is right and determines to do his part to help.
Ages 10+Pub Date: 2013
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: yesterday
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