GIRL IN LANDSCAPE

Pella is 13 when her mother dies and her father moves her and her brothers to the planet of the Archbuilders, double-jointed creatures with bodies of fur, shell, and leathery skin, whose civilization has become mired in lethargy. Pella comes of age in this strange and difficult place, leaving behind her carefree childhood and beginning new relationships with the children of the planet, who are thrown together by their homesteading parents. David Aaron Baker is an enthusiastic narrator. His storytelling draws out the dullness of the Archbuilders, which is contrasted with the enthusiasm and passion of the children. Baker seems to have fun with the characters and augments their varied personalities. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 08]