STEALING AIR

Ramon de Ocampo gives an energetic and compelling performance in this warm and spirited children's story. Brian, a sixth grader who has moved to Iowa, falls prey to the school bully and must decide whether or not cool friends make loyal friends. De Ocampo's dynamic changes in pitch and volume make it easy to distinguish between the characters: Brian himself, who struggles to fit in; his father, who is anxious about work; Alex, who is laid-back but undependable; and Max, who is geeky and speaks deliberately. De Ocampo's enthusiasm, clear enunciation, and skillful pacing dramatize the exhilaration of a common goal as Brian and his friends leave behind the pressures of school by escaping into the air in a homemade airplane. M.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2012]