SAVING SAILOR

When 10-year-old A.J. and her dog, Sailor, spend summer vacation on an island with her Italian-Catholic family, she adopts a Southern accent that drives her family crazy. However, her brother's teen friend, Danny, thinks she sounds cute, and they often meet to talk about life, God, and the stars on a favorite beach. Sylvia Durham's versatile range and skill capture A.J.'s energetic and irresistible cheerfulness with frank, comical character sketches. These contrast perfectly with serious moments that test the boundaries of her faith and newfound friendship. Durham's delivery of the scene in which A.J.'s finger gets stuck in a hole inside a confessional brings laughter to the point of tears. A sweet story set in a simpler time. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2013]