STORY TIME

Bloor's novel comes across well on audio, thanks to narrator Julie Dretzin. While delivering a subtle, nuanced interpretation of each character, she especially shines with her teeth-grinding, haughty rendering of the story's villainous Cornelia Whittaker Austin. This is satire with a capital "S." Whittaker Magnet School, with its motto of "Leave No High-Scoring Child Behind," has found a way of manipulating the school district to reach out, octopus-like, to capture the homes of really smart kids. Worse yet, people seem to have a bad habit of becoming "possessed" during Whittaker's story time--frequently ending up dead! Recently roped-in students Kate and George find that, with nothing to do but practice testing for the renowned "test-based curriculum," they have plenty of time to investigate the mysterious goings-on. While humorous and macabre, this story contains quite a bit of violence and is best suited to a YA audience. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 04/ JAN 05]