THE SURPRISE

Married authors Zadie Smith and Nick Laird deliver a delightful, hilarious, and heartfelt narration of their debut children's book. Kit opens a birthday surprise, a guinea pig dressed in a judo outfit. Kit has many pets, and they find the oddly dressed surprise off-putting. After several misadventures, the surprise receives a name; thus, she finally feels loved and accepted in her new home. Smith gives each character, animal and human, a distinct voice. She delivers various accents to depict different geographic regions and social classes. Laird is also amusing with his deadpan delivery of the main text, which juxtaposes beautifully with Smith's voices. Smith shines as the voices of all the characters; she could become a professional narrator for children's books. The production's music and sound effects enhance the story to great effect. A.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2022]