FEARSOME TALES FOR FIENDISH KIDS

Jamie Rix has written another collection of short stories--for kids upper elementary and older--that are truly bizarre; some are macabre, some fiendish yet funny, some just weird. Unfortunately, the quality of stories is inconsistent, with some stories wonderful and engaging, utilizing repetitive refrains that involve the listener, while others fall totally flat. Fortunately, Nigel Planer's narration is consistently delightful. His pacing, vocal punctuation, and innuendos make for memorable characters and enjoyable plot twists. Several of the stories require supervision or preview by adults, due to language and/or content. It is also frustrating to have stories carried over onto another tape, and a listing or table of contents would be helpful for finding specific stories. Still, the wonderful stories make this a worthwhile collection. W.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 02]