JUST BE COOL, JENNA SAKAI

Narrator Sophie Oda perfectly voices the tension, passion, and frustration that fill the life of middle-school student Jenna Sakai. Jenna is so over feeling bad about breaking up with her boyfriend and her parents' divorce. Attempting to move on, she decides to bury herself in her investigative article for her school's new journalism prize. Oda crafts varied and realistic character voices for the myriad teens in this story. When Jenna faces off against the enigmatic Rin Watanabe in an argument over her favorite table at her local diner, Oda's tonal changes reveal the stormy emotions Jenna has been keeping a lid on. This story of finding your own space and self in the midst of constant change makes for a great listen. S.T.C. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2021]