GABE & IZZY Standing Up for America's Bullied

Ford recounts her own story of being diagnosed with Friedreich's ataxia (a disease that compromises speech and mobility), of convincing her family that a large dog would be a sensible companion, and of gaining strength from her canine companion as she confronts marginalization at school and becomes an anti-bullying speaker. Susan Bennett is a forthright narrator--no sugary voicing here. She's as honest as Gabe, with moments of hesitation, frustration, rage, and ordinary kid-speak. Bennett uses pauses to accentuate Gabe's moments of uncertainty. She's also spot-on as Gabe's mother. The chapters are interspersed with excerpts from letters Gabe and Izzy have received. These underscore the impact this amazing duo has had during speaking engagements. A.R. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2014]