TOO MANY TOYS

Spencer has too many toys! So opens David Shannon’s picture book. They’re in his room, the backyard, and the bathtub. They’re wooden, quiet toys; puzzles and games; noisy electronic toys; books to fuel his mind; and musical instruments. They come from everyone on every holiday and birthday, and they’re becoming a “household hazard.” Jerry Trainor dramatically moves from calm narrator to Spencer’s exasperated mom, who bellows that the toys need to go, and on to horrified, indignant Spencer, who “loves them all.” Trainor’s histrionic narration of Spencer’s and Mom’s bargaining over every toy is fraught with angst on both sides. The production concludes with a David Shannon interview. A.R. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2012]