7X9=TROUBLE!

This engaging story will entertain children while bringing back adults' school memories: Do you recall that nervous feeling of racing through the timed multiplication test, or the dawning realization that different people are good at different subjects? Narrator Robert Ramirez supplies a boyish enthusiasm to his Wilson (who's good at art but struggles with math), and his reading makes the third-grader's despairs and triumphs quite poignant to listeners. Even Wilson's struggle to get along with his younger sibling (who's surprisingly good at multiplication) is treated with a gentle humor and refreshing accuracy that makes this story pleasing family entertainment with broad age appeal. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 03]