WANDER

How does a family deal with the death of the mother? In this case, Dad becomes distant, big brother takes care of little sister and aunt tries to keep everything together. Young Sary and James attach themselves to a stray dog named Wander as an outlet for their grief. Woodman, a prolific narrator, does a good job reading the story, told from a 12-year-old's point of view. Appropriate irritation at Sary's clinginess and exasperation at their dad's distance sound realistic. However, Woodman's strong New York City accent seems somewhat inconsistent for the rural character. A.G.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 00]