THE HAUNTED PICCOLO

Music class will never be the same after listening to this story of a cursed flute. Richard Mitchley's crisp, confident narration introduces us to Luke, a boy whose piccolo can help him take revenge on his school's bullies. Mitchley's unique voices make it easy to distinguish characters, even during conversation. Luke emerges as a sympathetic figure while the three bullies are appropriately horrid. The action steadily builds in this quick listen. Mitchley's authoritative reading evens out the mediocre writing, but a more atmospheric performance might better suit the story's ominous undertones. Piccolo music also would also have been a creative addition to this audiobook. For children who love spooky legends, THE HAUNTED PICCOLO is an entertaining, if uninspired, choice. C.A. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2008]