THE SECRET HISTORY OF TOM TRUEHEART, BOY ADVENTURER

Ian Beck takes familiar fairy tales, shakes them up, and delivers a fresh story that interweaves many familiar chestnuts. When young Tom Trueheart's twelfth birthday doesn’t turn out as he hoped, he sets out on an adventure in the Land of Stories, where he aims to discover the whereabouts of his six brothers, all named Jack. Clive Mantle is a narrator who embraces his role. He rises to the challenge of portraying an imposing cast of characters, many of whom are well known from traditional stories. Listeners will relish Mantle’s voicings of the impertinent Rapunzel, the pondering giant, the exasperated matron with a handful of beans, and the effervescent Tom. A.R. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2008]