NORTHWIND

Narrator JD Jackson takes listeners to an unidentified Nordic region in Paulsen's last survival story. When a strange illness kills everyone in his fishing village, 12-year-old Leif follows Old Carl's advice to head north. There, he uses his wits to build a new life. At the book's opening, a dulcimer intro sets a tone of gravitas as Jackson recites the origin tale of the village. His warm bass voice projects a feeling of folklore as Leif's story follows. Listeners will smell the stench of death, cringe when the boy faces danger, and cheer when he escapes certain death. Voices are consistent throughout, and repeated phrases and lists are particularly strong. This story of survival among Scandinavia's cold fjords will linger in listeners' memories. S.D.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2022]