PARENT SWAP

Narrator Tom Lawrence achieves mixed results as he strives to deliver a coherent reading of Danny Bell's improbable parent-swapping plans, which culminate in a visit to Buckingham Palace and family counseling from the queen. Plunging valiantly into a confusing mix of narration and TV-reality-show-style interviews, Lawrence's candid voice brings teenaged Danny to life but doesn't hit a rhythm with the numerous other characters. Lawrence assigns each character a unique voice but often switches back into his own voice partway through. And while his narration is moderately crisp, he can't always convey the meanings of numerous British acronyms to a non-British audience. In the end, Lawrence's attempts do not overcome a weak story. C.A. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]