GECKO & STICKY: THE GREATEST POWER

From the opening bank heist, Marc Cashman takes delight in Van Draanen's fast-paced Gecko and Sticky adventure. He is informative and intimate as he brings listeners into his confidence, complementing Van Draanen's conversational writing style. In his narrator role, Cashman exaggerates the author's wordplay, rhymes, and alliteration and provides pauses for listener appreciation. Get set for fast-paced adventure as Dave Sanchez and his gecko sidekick encounter sleep darts, sewer cruising, a magic Aztec wristband that provides superpowers, a coffee-brewing monkey, and the Bandito brothers—all in quest of something other than the stolen money. Cashman's characterizations are masterful as he portrays a high-pitched, Spanish-accented gecko, an earnest yet feisty Dave, sidekicks, and a deep-voiced, conniving villain. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2009]