HOW THE PENGUINS SAVED VERONICA

Octogenarian Veronica is living an isolated life in Scotland with her kind housekeeper, Eileen, her sole companion. After watching a television program about penguins, Veronica impulsively decides to travel to a research facility in Antarctica. With shifts in inflection and more than a hint of exasperation in her tone, narrator Helen Lloyd superbly creates a vibrant portrayal of Veronica, who never refrains from sharing her strong opinions. Veronica also learns that she has a grandson, Patrick, whose existence she was previously unaware of. Andrew Fallaize expertly captures the evolving maturation of the 20- something young man, who greatly benefits from getting to know his grandmother. Interwoven blog entries from a research scientist, voiced by Mandy Williams, keep this whimsical and poignant audiobook grounded. M.J. 2021 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2020]