WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG & NOW WE ARE SIX

These Milne classics are narrated by Miranda Richardson, who has an astonishing dramatic range. Hear her transform herself from a throat-clearing old harrumpher introducing the book into a gruff King John and then back into a young boy, all while emphasizing the rhymes and rhythms that have made these pieces loved by so many children for such a long time. Poems include "Buckingham Palace," "Rice Pudding," "Sneezles," "Halfway Down," and many other favorites; Pooh makes an appearance here and there but is not the main feature. Those who love Charles Kuralt's reading done several years ago may miss the warmth that he brought to these stories; Richardson sounds cool by comparison, like a stern nanny. But her insights into the meaning of these pieces and the energy she brings to her characterizations compensate. J.C.G. 2005 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 06]