BECOMING MARIA Love and Chaos in the South Bronx

Sonia Manzano was known to millions of people as Maria on "Sesame Street" for more than 40 years. So hearing her narrate this powerful memoir of her turbulent young life can give listeners cognitive dissonance: Why is Maria's familiar, comforting voice talking about sex and violence? Her tumultuous childhood informed how she portrayed Maria; she made her real so other Puerto Rican little girls could see someone who looked like them on television. Manzano narrates her book with unflinching honesty. She sputters when recalling anger and lightens her tone and laughs aloud when reading about happy times. There's honesty in her voice as well as her words as she forthrightly recounts her life, rough spots and all. G.D. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2016]