THE MOSTLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. FIGG

Slavery, injustice, and Civil War battles suggest serious historical fiction. But Philbrick handles these subjects with a measure of folksy humor, which is greatly enhanced by William Dufris's exquisite sense of timing and irony. Orphaned Homer is a boy with a storytelling gift. Dufris’s verve makes his tall tales even more colorful. When Homer's cruel uncle sells his underage brother into the Union Army, Homer's off to the rescue. His travels lead to nonstop adventures with a string of vivid characters—from slimy slave-catchers Stink and Smelt to the shifty Professor Fleabottom. Dufris turns so many of these eccentric personages into outstanding characterizations that listeners will feel as if they're being treated to a one-man show. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2009]