THE BOXCAR CHILDREN

Here we have an audio version of volume 1of The Boxcar Children Series, the chronicle of the four Alden children. Four children from the reviewer's family comment on the titles. Sarah (age 13): "She doesn't do the grandfather very well." Asher (age 10): "The narrator is okay with the girls, but I don't like the way she does boys." In fact, there is little attempt at characterization. Akiva (age 6), followed by Aryeh (age 4), carried the player around the house for days, enjoying the stories immensely. Akiva's and Aryeh's opinion of the tapes: "Fine." Newman's saccharine narration irritates the adult ear but evidently is quite acceptable to six and four-year-olds. This set is strictly for small children; they love it. D.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG 93]