SAY YES

The combination of compelling story and fabulous delivery results in a winning audiobook. At 12, Casey is both tough and vulnerable, careening from self-reflective and resourceful to whiny and indignant after her stepmother, Sylvia, abandons her in their New York City apartment to run off with her boyfriend. Paulie, Casey's 16-year-old neighbor, directs her foray into petty theft but also buoys her spirit and bolsters her courage as she struggles to survive. From Sylvia's gruff Italian boss to her pragmatic and nasally voiced mother, the characters are a memorable constellation of individuals revolving around a girl in crisis. T.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]