BETTI ON THE HIGH WIRE

Living in an unidentified war-torn country, 10-year-old Babo and other “leftover kids” call an abandoned circus camp home. The leader and primary storyteller for the children, Babo has an endless imagination and an abundance of energy. Babo’s dreams of living forever in the camp are dashed when she’s adopted by a loving American family, who rename her Betti. Narrator Rachel Gray easily transitions between fluid thoughts in Betti’s native language and stilted, stumbling pronunciations of newly learned English words. Betti’s bafflement at American culture, technology, and food are also well depicted. Gray’s sweet-natured voice brims with the innocence and wonderment of a child in this quirky adoption story. A.R.H. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2011]