LIVVIE OWEN LIVED HERE

Angela Rogers portrays 14-year-old Livvie Owens, who is autistic. Livvy’s methods of finding comfort are quirky—she arranges mugs in the middle of the night, sleeps beneath nine blankets, and writes “Livvie Owen Lived Here” in every home she’s lived in. Rogers expertly depicts the complex responses of Livvy’s family—her sisters’ frustrated compassion, her father’s barely restrained temper, and her mother’s exhausted gentleness. Between Livvy’s words and the reactions of those around her, listeners grow to understand that the family is coping not only with Livvy but also with economic stresses that have led to one eviction after another. The story’s poignant details and Rogers’s excellent narration give listeners empathy for Livvy’s inability to understand emotions—her own and those of others. S.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2011]