SHEILA RAE, THE BRAVE

Sheila Rae, a confident young mouse, isn't afraid of anything, until she decides to walk home from school a new way and proceeds to get completely lost. Laura Hamilton presents a delightfully cocky Sheila Rae, who quickly changes to a quiet, then scared, then hopeless mouse, as she realizes just how lost and alone she is--until her sister, Louise, pops up. Hamilton's voices are consistent and telling. Louise, who starts out meek, takes on character and strength as the story moves along, while the opposite is true for Sheila Rae. Hamilton's cocky, tentative, and scared voices are just right, and the background noises--thunder and lightening, dogs barking, kissing sounds--all work together to make the story come alive. A great book for families, beginning kindergarteners, and fans of Kevin Henkes. W.L.S. 2003 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 03]