HOLDING UP THE UNIVERSE

Jorjeana Marie and Robbie Daymond narrate this story of the unlikely friendship of two teens who are learning to cope with unique personal difficulties. Libby, once known as "America's fattest teen," has returned to public school after years of therapy and dieting. Popular Jack appears to have no worries--although he secretly suffers from prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize faces. Marie builds a bridge of empathy between the listener and Libby, emphasizing the girl's complex feelings about social pressures and dramatizing her growing self-confidence. Daymond portrays the contrast between Jack's outward swagger and his inner fears as the boy struggles to hide his disability, even from his family. Overall, the narrators' youthful voices and expressive performances add verisimilitude to the audiobook's high school setting. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2016]