RUBY HOLLER

Not since HOLES, by Louis Sachar, has children's literature celebrated an American tall tale with a plot of such serendipitous proportions. Insolent Florida and her earnest brother, Dallas, 13-year-old orphan "trouble twins" of the penurious Boxton Creek Home for Children, live to break every one of its insufferable and ubiquitous rules until they are finally sprung by Tiller and Sairy Morey. Their stay in the lush Ruby Holler frames a hilarious yet heart-tugging journey through loss and reclamation. Although the voices of the quirky secondary characters occasionally suffer from too much similarity, Donna Murphy's Southern drawl is put to varied use, from the gruff Boxton Home owner, Mr. Trepid, and his cranky pseudo-genteel wife, Mrs. Trepid, to the reticent but generous Tiller and the warm-hearted Sairy. Creech fans will rejoice in another tale by the Newbery Medalist and celebrate this refreshing change of pace. T.B. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]