Children's Audio Reviews: Week of 9/10/2007

Jackson hits a home run as the inspired choice to read Wiles's (Each Little Bird That Sings) latest, a heartfelt story with baseball at its center. Her slightly raspy voice, shaded with an occasional twang, is perfect for bringing to life the cast of memorable—and colorfully named—characters of a rural town in Mississippi. Using a leisurely storytelling rhythm, the narrator makes listeners feel old friends, taking them along as 12-year-old baseball fanatic House Jackson discovers some long-held secrets—both in his own family, and in the town of Aurora—and how they all finally fit together. Wiles explores issues of death and loss, art versus. sport and the dynamics of true community with humor and tenderness. As a bonus, listeners can hear the slightest chuckle or almost hear a thoughtful smile in Jackson's voice as she reads the quotes from baseball greats and from Walt Whitman that open each chapter. Ages 8-up. (Aug.)

Nine-year-old Piper Reed is used to her family moving to a new place every two years because of her father's job as a mechanic for the Navy. “When a man joins the Navy, his family joins the Navy,” he always explains. But the most recent upheaval, a move from San Diego to Pensacola, Fla.—in the middle of the school year, no less—seems especially trying for the whole clan. Fortunately there's not much that can dim Piper's spunk for long. Soon she forms a new band of pals, her Gypsy Club, and decides that when she grows up she may even join the Blue Angels flight team (which practices nearby). Though Card's voice is laudably youthful, it has a nasal tone, stretched to the limit during some exaggerated whining by Piper's youngest sister Sam. Additionally, Card's pacing often feels a bit slow for the material. But young listeners will be happy to make the acquaintance of this new character, who is slated to be the star of a series. Ages 8-up. (Aug.)

Ventimiglia's soft voice and smooth delivery capture all the notes of fun, sadness and eventually, emergent hope that fill MacLachlan's novel about the powerful bonds of a family's love. Through the flashback memories of Jake, listeners meet Jake's younger brother, the strikingly blue-eyed Edward, a standout in their ever-expanding family for his baseball pitching prowess, his good humor and his ability to “see” signs that other people often miss. Listeners will discern early on that something must have happened to Edward, as Jake's reverent narration—which sometimes sounds wise beyond his years—creates a portrait of a boy who seems to be somewhere else. As the story unfurls, listeners learn Edward's heartbreaking fate and how his family copes. Having tissues on hand for some of the latter chapters may be a good idea, though the tale closes on an uplifting note. Ages 8-up. (Aug.)