COWGIRL KATE & COCOA School Days

Most little girls dream about having their own horse. Cowgirl Kate is lucky to have one that's her best friend. AND he talks! Books written in simple text for beginning readers are often difficult to narrate because there's not much action or character development. Add to that the "he said, she saids," and you often get a boring, flat story. An exceptional book or reader can rise above those problems. This title has neither. Liz Morton's reading is adequate, projecting some warmth between Kate and Cocoa, as well as some petulance in Cocoa's voice when appropriate. Otherwise, her delivery is stilted and choppy, with little emotion or change in tone to give the words meaning. Overall, she doesn't manage to overcome the innate difficulties of the book. W.L.S. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2008]