THE UGLY DUCKLING AND OTHER STORIES

Rebecca Burns's reading of THE UGLY DUCKLING AND OTHER STORIES is perfunctory, almost lifeless. The five tapes hold an excellent cross section of tales, but the performance doesn't deliver. Though she reads dialogue well, Burns often uses a cloying over-enunciation in the narratives. True, this tape will have a young audience, but the way a reader holds a child's attention is through energy and expression, both of which are lacking in this recording. D.B. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 99]