MOTHER BRUCE

Narrator Robertson Dean voices all the hurumpfs, disgruntled sighs, and exasperation of Mother Bruce. This decidedly grumpy and single-minded bear is distraught when a meal he’s planning hatches into a gaggle of goslings who instantly imprint on him as their mother. As narrator, Dean is steady and distinct, letting the story itself unfold in the listener’s mind (along with the illustrations, should the book be in hand). He puts the slightest emphasis on specific words and phrases to underscore the story’s irony and humor. Portraying Bruce, he sounds clipped and brusk or roars, but gently. As the goslings, Dean offers tender and endearing peeps. A.R. 2018 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2018]