THE GIANT-SLAYER

In 1955, Laurie Valentine is a lonely 11-year-old with an active imagination. Her distant father employs an overprotective nanny while he works tirelessly for the March of Dimes, confident a vaccine will soon eradicate polio. When Laurie's only friend, Dickie, gets polio, she sneaks off to visit him and begins a magical fantasy that enthralls all the children "in polio." Suzanne Toren moves easily from reality to fantasy, bringing the large cast of characters to life. Toren excels with all the characters—from master storyteller Laurie to eager Dickie and disdainful Carolyn, with their breathless iron lung voices. Fantasy characters—Jimmy the giant-slayer and his magical cohorts—come alive, too. Toren weaves a tale that brings hope to the young polio victims. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2010]