FLOODLAND

What will happen when global warming causes the oceans to rise? This is the question Marcus Sedgwick considers in his fast-moving science fiction tale. As 10-year-old Zoe navigates the remaining island cities of England, she also navigates the relationships within her extended and her nuclear families. Amanda Root narrates with all the tension and immediacy such an unsettling story demands. As Zoe moves from decision to decision, Root’s voice carries the edge and tautness of someone trying desperately to cope, first with those trying to seize her boat, then with Dooby’s clan, and finally, with her own feelings during the ordeal. The beauty in both the story and the narration is that just enough of the issue is raised to cause middle-grade listeners to seriously consider the problem but not to such a degree that fear outweighs concern. A.R. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]