THE JUNGLE BOOK

Like many dramatizations of classic literature, this BBC production of THE JUNGLE BOOK is best enjoyed by listeners who have already experienced the book in its entirety. The excerpts included, however, are surprisingly cohesive and easy to follow despite their brevity. Each animal's voice--from the wolf Akela to the python Kaa--seems somehow plausible, and the decision to use a female narrator for the boy, Mowgli, turns out to be entirely successful. The braying, howling, hooting, and other jungle sounds do get a bit silly, but they're perhaps unavoidable in this story. Far more effective as background are the well-chosen selections of Indian music that evoke the setting of Kipling's tales. D.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 08]