WHY MOSQUITOES BUZZ IN PEOPLE'S EARS

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with NORFOLK TALES.]--In these two collections, Bobby Norfolk's energetic interpretations of 10 well-known stories seem to burst from the speakers. Norfolk's voice commands attention as he speaks, shouts, and vocalizes various sound effects--from the animals in "The Bremen Town Musicians" to the sounds of the blacksmith's shop in "Wicked John and the Devil." Norfolk's strength is in moments of wild humor, but he successfully conveys the emotion in stories that are more serious or, in "Tilly and the Eight Steps," mildly frightening. These strengths are brought to bear on stories that entertain and have a strong moral center, making both these collections ideal for young and old alike. A.F. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]