GRAYSON

What qualities would you expect in the voice of a world-class swimmer? Toughness? An I-can-do-anything attitude? Lynne Cox's voice has a surprising softness as she recounts an early morning swim and her encounter with a lone baby whale too young to survive without its mother. Cox's gentle narration adds a dimension a reader might not experience. It does not, however, express the core emotional and physical strength that enabled the 17-year-old Cox to swim for hours in the 55-degree water off California's Seal Beach while she and a team of supporters sought to reunite baby whale and mother. Nevertheless, Grayson is a moving story, highly recommended for all ages. D.J.P. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]