CITRUS COUNTY

Middle school students Toby and Shelby are attracted by their opposite natures. Their teacher, Mr. Hebma, seeks relief from what he sees as a life of boredom through violence. A random act of desperation brings the three of them together. Narrator T. Ryder Smith captures the torpid nature of life in rural Florida, with its sun-bleached blandness and mind-numbing routine. He also finds the nuggets of fire in these struggling souls, imparting energy and depth that belie each main character’s flatness of aspect. Brandon’s text and Smith’s narration resist the temptation to go where the listener expects the story to lead. Instead, they offer fresh directions that make this book linger in the mind after its closing credits. R.L.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2011]