THE SUMMER OF RILEY

At age 11, William is coping with the death of his beloved grandfather and his parents' divorce when he adopts Riley from a dog pound. Bunting writes a beautiful story, and de Ocampo brings it brilliantly to life. Of particular merit is the re-creation of William's internal dialogues as he reasons right from wrong when his dog attacks a defenseless old horse. De Ocampo keeps the story moving along on a lighter note as we meet William's friend, Grace, who is his opposite. While the children fight to save the dog, there is a great deal of dialogue, which greatly benefits from vocalization. The tale, which keeps you on the edge until the very end, should help anyonecoping with grief and loss. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]