A CERTAIN OCTOBER

Narrator Harlie Vaughn portrays teens facing tragedy in East Cleveland with realism and exuberance. This rich coming-of-age story features high school junior Scotty and her close circle of gay and straight friends. Launched into action with the wacky antics of Scotty's autistic younger brother, Keone, the story moves to unexpected depths. Vaughn's portrayal of Scotty shifts perfectly from sarcastic to somber to optimistic. Adult characters, often given short shrift in teen fiction, are well defined by Vaughn's portrayal of Scotty's soft-spoken father and resolute stepmother as well as her friend's well-intentioned, forceful aunts. Scotty's physical and emotional pain following a cataclysmic accident, as well as her grief, sexual awakening, and growing maturity, are all reflected subtly in Vaughn's storytelling. D.P.D. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2014]