THE GIANT GOLDFISH ROBBERY

Jimmy's family must move to a new home far from the seaside town where his fisherman father once made a living. Exploring his new territory one day, Jimmy meets Major Gregory, an elderly collector of large and valuable koi carp, and the two become friends as Jimmy learns more about the giant goldfish. Brian Bowles handles a variety of voices and accents with enthusiastic ease. Jimmy is engagingly boyish, the Major old-boy upper class, and the thuggish grounds-keeper surly and menacing. This is an interesting story with a good bit of large and small-scale drama. Whether addressing the tensions inherent in friendship or expressing the thrill of stowing away in a stolen car, Bowles does a fine job keeping listeners on the edge of their seats. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 04]