THE ARROW CATCHER

Listeners meet Jonathan Lusk as a boy living happily with his parents in Boston in the years immediately following World War II. Narrator Michael Naishtut begins with a voice full of childlike naïveté and builds in notes of depth and sorrow as Jonathan loses both parents, is shuffled around, and winds up in the custody of his grandfather's widow in Japan. Jonathan copes by devoting himself to his studies and to karate, in spite of the hostility of peers and teachers who are still angry about Japan's surrender. Naishtut's voices aren't terribly distinct, but he handles both American and Japanese accents with ease and creates a strong, believable voice for Jonathan. That's what matters most in this surprising story of perseverance and loyalty. A.F. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2014]