THE WORD COLLECTOR

Reynolds's beloved story is even more spectacular with Guy Lockard's narration and Sandra Hart's music. The tale of Jerome, a word collector, begins with cheerful music that expresses his excitement. As various words are introduced, the music follows the lead of the text--thoughtful as Jerome expresses respect for the word "wonder" and dramatic while delivering powerful words like "torrential." Throughout, Lockard embraces Jerome's enthusiasm, imbuing words with so much passion that they are almost personified. "Molasses" sounds slow and thick, and Lockard bursts into an operatic tone for "multisyllable words that sound like little songs." There is solemnity for important words like "I understand" and "you matter." The ending is a symphony of giggles and exclamations, along with word appreciation. Great family listening! S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2020 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2020]