GOING, GOING, GONE! WITH THE PAIN & THE GREAT ONE

Clearly Kathleen McInerney must have experienced firsthand how young children struggle for power. She captures the know-it-all attitude of older sister Abigail (The Great One—“because she thinks she's so great") and the annoyance of her younger brother, Jake (the Pain). Their quarrelsome behavior will sound familiar to many children and their parents. The two vie to manipulate their grandparents for gifts, fight for their parents' attention, and tease each other endlessly. Yet mutual caring shines through. Abigail performs heroically when Jake gets a pussy willow stuck up his nose and helps look for him when he goes missing at the mall. Lovely nuances make this an enjoyable listening experience for families. S.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2008]