BENNY AND OMAR

Fans of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl fantasy series, be forewarned. Colfer has moved into a new genre--realistic fiction. Benny Shaw, his parents, and younger brother, George, move from Ireland to Tunisia for Dad's job. Talk about culture shock! Euan Morton tells the story with heart and enthusiasm. His accent takes some getting used to, and some of the expressions are unfamiliar, but listeners willing to put forth the effort are in for a treat. Morton makes Benny believable as he grows from a sarcastic loner to a compassionate companion. Omar, a Tunisian homeless boy who speaks English in the language of sitcoms and commercials, befriends Benny and teaches him something about the value of friendship and sacrifice. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]