REGGIE AND DELILAH'S YEAR OF FALLING

Preston Butler's and Shayna Small's youthful and engaging voices are perfectly cast to portray two misfit teens who serendipitously run into each other on every holiday. Butler's performance is high-pitched and excitable as Reggie, a passionate but insecure Dungeons & Dragons player who develops a fake confident persona to impress punk singer Delilah. Delilah, portrayed by Small, is starting to doubt if she belongs on the stage, but Reggie's confident act inspires her to keep going. Small's voice has an easy laid-back quality that matches the cool, aloof singer. The teens are often the only Black kids in their chosen spaces; Butler and Small dial up the emotion as the teens bond over this shared experience. Their delightful narration elevates this twist on a holiday romance. J.E.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2023]