LIBRARY MOUSE

Chris Sorenson's well-timed pauses and gentle cadences give an understated sense of drama to the quiet story of a library mouse who reads and writes. Through his soft tones, Sorenson gives listeners a tender feeling for Sam, the shy mouse with big thoughts and a desire to write books. Sorenson then builds the image of a librarian who is full of curiosity and admiration for Sam's books, which appear each morning in her library. Sorenson voices the reactions of the library's young patrons with punchy lines of dialogue that note their surprise and pleasure at Sam's delightful nocturnal creations. Sam has few speaking lines, so Sorenson must characterize him with subtlety. His approach puts the emphasis on the mouse's joy at invention rather than a wish for acclaim. S.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2009]