THE BIG BURN

Saloon music establishes a mood that Boyd Gaines maintains throughout his reading of this historical adventure tale. Three older teens are caught in the drama of a 1910 wildfire in Montana and Idaho that destroyed 2.5 million acres. Without exaggeration, Gaines develops the cast of interwoven characters, creating soft-voiced women such as Lizbeth's genteel Aunt Celia, gruff men such as Jared's heartless Pop, and the slippery African-American soldier, Abel. Starting off slow and easy, Gaines's narrative responds to the demands of a story that builds to a crescendo of flame and passion. Pacing is the key to the success of this audiobook, which will appeal to both teens and adults. T.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]