RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME

Narrator Rainy Fields portrays Rain Berghoff in this audiobook for young listeners. Fourteen-year-old Rain is facing the challenges that typically come at that age, as well as significant additional struggles related to her family, her Native American identity, and a devastating personal loss. Fields is convincing as young Rain. Her tone is earnest, and her timbre is distinctly youthful. Her pace, though, is uneven, with some sections racing and others noticeably slowing. Perhaps the unevenness is intended to capture Rain's tumultuous age, but the tendency toward halting rhythms interferes with the listening experience. However, the eager listener will want to hear Rain's thoughts about the various aspects of her life, and Fields narrates those well. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]