MY FATHER'S WORDS

Narrator Imani Parks brings a gentle and compassionate voice to the tender story of recovery following the sudden death of Fiona's dad. How can she; her younger brother, Finn; and their mother recover? It takes a village--in this case, the patients of the late Declan; neighbors, each touched by the words that Declan shared with them; and the staff and dogs at the local animal shelter. Parks's narration is even and quiet. Her voice lifts with Fiona's growing understanding of the accident and the impact her father had on people and alternately brightens and falls in sync with Finn's changing emotions. When the words and actions take one's breath away, Parks's voice quietly fades, and she elongates the pauses between events, heightening their impact. Listeners have much to consider in this listening experience. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2018]