THE FAST AND THE FURRIEST

Satisfying! Andy Behrens blends sports clichés and an improbable dog-training scenario as 12-year-old Kevin Pugh gains wisdom about himself; his dog, Cromwell; and his family. Sean Runnette’s narration is appealing in spite of the story’s sometimes-stereotypical characters—for example, the former-football-player father who is fixated on his glory days and the dog trainer with the mysterious foreign accent. But Kevin is the focus of the story, and Runnette’s nuanced portrayal of his character shows his emotional growth and sets this performance apart. A.R. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2010]