FALLING OVER SIDEWAYS

When Claire started eighth grade, she expected the challenges of homework and social pressures and braced herself for changes in her extracurricular activities. But she was totally unprepared to be the only one at home when her father suffered a life-altering stroke. With impeccable timing and a varied delivery, narrator Miriam Volle turns the spotlight on the young teen's primary coping mechanisms: her spunky personality and quick wit. Volle's informal style reflects Claire's internal dialogue as she struggles to understand her beloved father's prognosis and her own coming-of-age. Because Volle's voice comes across as quite young, listeners may have to remind themselves that Claire is nearer young adult than child. But they'll have no trouble rooting for a happy ending to this engaging audiobook. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2017]