THE UGLY DUCKLING AND OTHER FAIRY TALES

Dover Books has entered the audio publishing market with book-and-cassette programs. A single cassette ranging from 45 to 90 minutes long is combined with a Dover Thrift Classics edition of the accompanying book. These are among the most interesting, inexpensive products recently released. Dover's visibility is also an asset to attracting new listeners with these audiobooks. Adult new readers, as well as young readers, will find these audios very approachable. The Andersen and Burgess stories are nicely read with clarity and emphasis akin to a favored adult sharing a story. The intended audience will find them appealing. Earl Hammond uses a sinister voice for Poe's "Heart" and takes on exaggerated characterizations with success in the other stories. The sound quality is generally good though not quite top-notch. Nevertheless, the narrative styles match the texts well and have theatrical polish. Releases this fall include BEATRIX POTTER STORIES, A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES and BEST LOVED POEMS (Longfellow, Whitman, Kipling and others). R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPT 96]