ANIMAL TALES Racoon, Bear and Coyote

Three vignettes of forest life chronicle raccoon's bravery, bear's determination, and coyote's cunning. The short tales provide gentle drama well suited for young children. The pacing is slow enough for listeners to comprehend details of setting as well as narrative. Plus, children will learn informative wildlife facts along with enjoying the stories. Tavia Gilbert and Stephen McLaughlin employ a laid-back narrative style, presenting the texts without overacting or frightening young children. McLaughlin makes some animal noises and uses a baritone voice for the human rancher, but overall the stories are simply presented as fits their unassuming nature. Sadly, breathing noises are conspicuous and distracting throughout. Greater attention to this technical detail would improve the recording quality. C.A. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2009]