UP A TREE

An American audience may puzzle over some of the Aussie words and phrases in this production, but the wonderful writing and Melissa Eccleston's narration will pull almost any listener through. The book starts when main character Molly and her younger brother, Simon, take a ride on a flying fox a pair of their classmates built over a gorge near their house. The adventure starts there and continues though Christmas preparations and Molly's obsession with a possum family living next door. The writing is funny, and Eccleston's reading makes it even better with her impeccable timing and dialogue that sounds just right. A.F. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 03]