HERO ON A BICYCLE

As WWII rages around a family in Florence, Paolo, a young teen, finds himself helping the Allies with his trusty bike. The story, which blends a coming-of-age theme with wartime suspense, is perfect for listening because of narrator Simon Vance. There are almost as many accents as there are characters, and Vance nails them all. He does a fine job with Italian civilians like the Crivelli family and the people they come across during the war, in particular an injured Canadian and a sympathetic German. Vance gives all the characters consistent voices throughout. M.B. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2013]