MADELINE AUDIO COLLECTION

In her lively style, Carol Channing takes the listener into the world of Ludwig Bemelmans’s books. Stops include Paris for adventures with the well-known Madeline, Miss Clavel, and Pepito; the Ecuadorian Andes for a surprise trip on a mountain train with young Pedro; a castle in the Alps, where Baptiste finally secures a job with Count Hungerberg Hungerberg; and Uganda for poodle escapades. Channing has a memorable voice, which she crafts to suit a variety of characters, including animals. She puts grand emphasis on the familiar phrases of the Madeline stories and relishes the childlike qualities of the heroine. While devotees of Madeline will delight in Channing’s vitality, the collection will succeed best for the sophisticated listener who already knows Bemelmans’s stories and who can imagine the settings and characters given a spare text. A.R. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]