THE PUMPKIN BOOK

This book is a perfect example of why it's so hard to turn a good nonfiction picture book into an audiobook. Narrator Polly Collier is very good. Her strong, clear voice makes her sound much like a teacher, and I appreciated her explanation to young listeners that she would be reading the text portion of a picture book. However, the presentation is still confusing, and I wonder how nonreaders and early readers will be able to conceptualize the idea of words and pictures. It's a wonderful book, full of interesting trivia, but I think nonreaders will need someone to help them make the connection to the pictures; transitional and comfortable readers will be fine. W.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 03]