THE GATE IN THE WALL

A powerful, well-developed portrait of life along the canals of Victorian England unfolds in this story of 10-year-old Emma Dean, a spirited young girl whose chance encounter with the world outside her town lifts her out of the harsh reality of mill work. Jenny Sterlin's fully voiced narration not only breathes life into the individual characters, but also expertly creates a sense of time and place, expanding the reading experience for young listeners unfamiliar with the sounds of this remarkable community of boat people and its historical period. S.G. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 00]