THE TOOTHPASTE MILLIONAIRE

Rufus devised a toothpaste formula for a fraction of what the big companies charge. He opens for business in his garage and quickly evolves into the Toothpaste Millionaire. Amazingly, Rufus is only 12! This tale starts believably but becomes quite farfetched by the second tape. Dretzin reads all characters in the same voice, so it does not provide enough imagery for the recommended age group. She sounds 20-something, clearly older than the characters she represents, which is another impediment to engaging young listeners. The text is enjoyably silly, but this audio version would be more successful for an older audience. A.G.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 00]