RIBSY

This old chestnut is a fabulous listening experience. The adventures of one family's lost dog are timeless and provide a source of laughter, tears, and universal dog memories. When one family's mutt, Ribsy, so named because his ribs were sticking out when chosen, mistakes the look and smell of the brand-new family station wagon in the shopping center parking lot, his escapades and wanderings begin. From a bath complete with lavender bubble bath to a desperate day high on a fire escape, Ribsy is on a quest to find his family. Neil Patrick Harris's narration has a boyish and earnest quality, well matched to these boy and his (missing) dog adventures. He transports the listener effortlessly into the midst of each situation: the classroom of Mrs. Sonchek, the tidy but lonely home of Mrs. Frawley, or the Taylor High School football game. Dialogue between the many supporting characters is energetic. Above all, Harris conveys the angst of one dog who is desperate to find his way home. A.R. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]