INKLING

Narrator Robbie Daymond's inflection and pacing wring every drop of humor and pathos from Oppel's unlikely story of a grieving family helped by an inkblot. Ethan's mother has died, his father can no longer draw his successful graphic novels, and Ethan and his little sister, Sarah, who has Down syndrome, must often fend for themselves. Stymied by a school assignment to draw his own graphic novel, Ethan is afraid to admit he can only draw stick figures. Amazingly, an inkblot pulls itself from his father's sketchbook and begins to teach the boy. Daymond uses his comic timing to have fun with Inkling and is in his element portraying a second inkblot--this one an evil creature--whom he depicts in an appropriately booming voice. Fun family listening. S.G. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2018]