THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY

Aliens called Boov have invaded the earth and forced all Americans to move to Florida. Instead of going by rocketpod like the others, 11-year-old Gratuity Tucci drives from Pennsylvania in her mother’s car with her cat, Pig. Along the way, she picks up a renegade Boov (with the earth name J.Lo because humans can’t pronounce Boov names), who adapts her car so it can float. A hilarious, heartwarming buddy adventure is born! On audio we are denied the cartoons from the book, but who cares when we have the spirited and talented Bahni Turpin? Turpin is a vocal genius. She can express any emotion, and her timing accentuates every satirical line. Most remarkable are the two completely distinct characters who constantly play off each other—the feisty, self-reliant Gratuity and the droll, lip-smacking J.Lo. A.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2010]