PRECIOUS AND THE MONKEYS

Often asked about the childhood of his beloved heroine Precious Ramotswe, Alexander McCall Smith has come up with a marvelous answer. He’s created a diminutive Precious who is as engaging as his adult character. Adjoa Andoh’s rolling “r’s” establish the young heroine’s Botswana homeland, and a high-pitched intensity quickly convinces listeners of her youthful curiosity. Andoh portrays Precious’s father with deep, slow tones that change in speed and intensity with his storytelling, making it easy to understand why his daughter adores him. Throughout, Andoh captures Precious’s responses to her father, the theft of cakes at her school, and nasty peer accusations. Her perceptions, values, and skills hint at the detective she’ll become and all the new fans this audio will create. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2011]