KEEPING SCORE

KEEPING SCORE is the perfect historical novel in that it uses a realistic story to bring a chapter of history alive for today's youth. Julie Pearl gives a spot-on narration, placing the listener in 1950s Brooklyn, where everyone roots for "dem bums" (the Brooklyn Dodgers) and prays for Jim's safe return from Korea. Each character has a unique voice, from the Irish brogue of Maggie's mother to the individualized "lilts" of the rest of the Brooklynites. Pearl is especially believable as Maggie. As she grows from age 9 to 14, she learns that hoping and praying don't make things happen, but they are “what gets everything started." The story leaves the listener with hope—for Jim's recovery and for "dem bums" to finally win the Series. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2008]