THE NOTEBOOK KEEPER A Story of Kindness from the Border

The talented and capable María José Zuniga narrates this story about kindness at the Mexican-American border. Young Noemi and her mother, who are seeking asylum, arrive at the border and put their names in a notebook. The notebook lists people waiting to plead their cases to the American authorities. A kind woman named Belinda, the notebook keeper, encourages everyone to remain positive. Zuniga skillfully switches between a Mexican accent to a neutral American accent, making the English dialogue in the audiobook sound authentic. Words and phrases in Spanish are spoken in a perfect Mexican accent. Zuniga conveys fear and uncertainty by effectively using a quivering voice. She also successfully expresses happiness and positivity. The production starts and ends with Mexican music. A.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2022]