HERE LIES THE LIBRARIAN

If any author could combine auto racing, feminism, cross-town rivalries, orphaned children, a tornado, and libraries into an engaging novel, that author would be Richard Peck. Lara Everly skillfully narrates the story of this quirky Indiana town of 1914. She exudes the independence of Peewee, née Eleanor McGrath, who is not going to continue her schooling or wear a dress unless it fits into her plan. Everly brings personalities--an eccentric uncle, the show stopping Butler University library science students with their flashy cars, the conniving Kirby brothers--to life. She narrates with a flat affect that underscores Peck's signature deadpan humor. A.R. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 06]