Children's Audio/Video Reviews: Week of 3/12/2007
by Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 3/12/2007
Spoken Word
The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick, read by Jeff Woodman. Scholastic Audio, unabridged, 3 CDs plus bonus DVD, 3.5 hours, $29.95 ISBN 0-545-00363-6
Selznick's unique, visually arresting illustrated novel is transformed into an equally unique audiobook-plus-DVD presentation here. The story of 12-year-old Hugo Cabret-orphan, clockmaker's apprentice, petty thief and aspiring magician-and how a curious machine connects him with his departed father and pioneering French filmmaker Georges Méliès is full-bodied material for Woodman. The narrator dives in, reading with both a bright energy and an air of mystery-befitting the adventurous plot. Listeners will likely cotton to Woodman's affable tone and be fascinated by all the unusual elements here, including the sound-effects sequences (footsteps, train station noises) that stand in for Selznick's black-and-white illustrations, which appear like mini-silent movies in the book. Selznick himself takes over as host on the making-of style DVD, in which he divulges his love of film and his inspiration for the book, discusses (and demonstrates) his drawing technique and even performs a magic trick. The "chapters" of his interview are interspersed with excerpts from the audiobook, as he explains how the recording was a translation of both his words and pictures to sound. This inventive audio-visual hybrid will be a welcome addition to both home and classroom libraries. Ages 9-12. (Mar.)
SwordbirdNancy Yi Fan, read by Colleen Delaney. HarperChildren's Audio, unabridged, four CDs, four hours, $25.95 ISBN 978-0-06-123398-2
As any fan of Brian Jacques's Redwall saga knows, the forest is teeming with societies of animals that have complicated dynamics. Thirteen-year-old author Yi Fan's debut novel joins the genre with her tale told from the birds' vantage point, translated handily to audio by Delaney. The narrator's steady, assured delivery paints a captivating fantasy world for listeners, replete with feathered heroes and villains. Turnatt, the tyrant hawk, forces his enslaved woodbird subjects to steal eggs and food from both the blue jays and the cardinals, causing the two bird tribes to blame each other and go to war. But when a neutral party reveals Turnatt's plan, the warring factions join forces to seek out the Swordbird, Son of the Great Spirit, the only true hope to help them restore peace. Though listeners may have trouble differentiating Delaney's bird character voices, adventure, action and allegory abound here, helping this recording to take wing. A bonus interview with the author is included. Ages 10-up. (Feb.)
Music
I Wanna Play Bill Harley. Round River Records (www.billharley.com), CD, $15
Recent Grammy winner and versatile performer Harley presents a compilation of 12 songs sure to have listeners grooving and giggling. The tender "You've Got to Ask" puts a sweet sound to the embarrassing things that can happen if one doesn't ask "stupid" questions. "To the South Pole" is a traveling cowboy song-acoustic, guitar, yodels and all-that serves as a kid's note to his mother explaining why he's run so far away from home-something to do with a glue gun and a drill: "I didn't know about the carpet/ I didn't know about the sink/ I didn't know that the cat would do that/ I didn't know that the paint was pink." And of course, "Barbie's Head Is Missing," chronicling a brother's torture of his sister's dolls, and "You Saved My Life," about the best kind of best friend, contain the laugh-out-loud humor school-age kids crave. Throughout, Harley is accompanied by solid musicians that help him easily shift from blues to rock to a reggae/Caribbean sound and back again and is also backed by the polished sounding Rhode Island's Children's Chorus. All ages. (Feb.)
My Green Kite Peter Himmelman. Rounder Records (www.rounder.com), $14.98
An appropriately breezy, sunny pop vibe pervades much of Himmelman's latest collection of 12 original tunes. The accomplished musician-one can currently hear his work on the TV series Men in Trees and Bones-knows well how to blend catchy refrains, a good beat and fun and funny lyrics. The high energy of the title track will likely have listeners checking the weather report for good wind. Frustration gets a jaunty Motown- flavored soundtrack in "Maybe Is a Bad Word," and a soulful piano serves as backdrop for a kid gaining a poignant new view of his dad's "dull" career in "My Father's an Accountant." The hilarious and thought-provoking "Have You Ever Looked at an Egg?" will likely prompt kids to pay more attention to their breakfast choices. In all, the variety of musical styles and Himmelman's voice-a friendly mix of gravelly blues, rock and pop-will earn this CD lots of repeated play from young listeners and the adults in their lives. Ages 3-up. (Feb.)
