M.C. HIGGINS, THE GREAT

Roscoe Lee Browne's reading voice is as rich as the language of Virginia Hamilton's Newbery Medal classic about a thirteen-year-old African-American boy who dreams of his family's escape from poverty and the dangers of the strip-mining slag heap that is slowly moving toward their home. Browne does not attempt an Appalachian dialect, but he individualizes the characters' voices superbly, making them both believable and unforgettable. He reads so expressively that the listener clearly senses the love shared by the members of the Higgins family and the strength of their bond to their Appalachian home. Browne's sensitive reading should make Hamilton's story more accessible to young people. It will haunt listeners and draw them back for repeated listening sessions, and those who turn to the book will find their own reading that much more satisfying as memories of Browne's exceptional narration linger. C.R.A. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JAN 94]