MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE

So completely does David Tennant slip into the authentic voice and point of view of 10-year-old Jamie that the listener is immediately immersed in the story. Tennant doesn’t perform vocal acrobatics, and we don’t need him to: His nuanced delivery and pleasing Scottish brogue perfectly convey all of Jamie's bewilderment, frustration, grief, and fears as he navigates the choppy waters of adolescence. Jamie's family has fallen apart, and he has a budding friendship with the girl in his class who wears a hijab. Pitcher's writing is full of humor and charm, even when dealing with difficult subject matter including bullying, racism, alcoholism, and the death of a loved one. Listeners will give their hearts over to Jamie, his sister Jas, his friend Sunya, and his cat Roger. J.M.D. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2012]