CLEMENTINE Friend of the Week

It’s Clementine’s turn to be “Friend of the Week,” and she’s determined to have a friend booklet filled with wonderful comments from her classmates. But Clementine’s good deeds could be for naught when her focus turns to the more pressing matter of her missing cat. Jessica Almasy narrates superbly. One could easily believe she’s retelling stories from her own childhood she so embodies the role of Clementine as she imparts her narration with perfect tones: exasperated, excited, bereft, and joyous. The rise and fall of her pitch, the quickening of her pace, and the emphasis on the right phrases make the listener feel it all. Almasy surrounds Clementine with a perfectly voiced cast: all-knowing and bossy Margaret; patient, reassuring parents; and a host of humorous classmates. J.K.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2010]