I, CORIANDER

Sally Gardner's novel (winner of the 2005 British Nestlé Children's Book Prize) is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of Cromwellian England and a mirror-world of fairies, magic, and evil queens. Young Coriander must cope with her splintered family, the revelation that her mother was a fairy, and the sinister machinations of her Puritan stepmother and the preacher Arise Fell. With a dreamy narration that befits the fantastical nature of the story, Juliet Stevenson skillfully adjusts her British accent to depict different characters and classes--and even the scratchy, menacing voice of a talking raven. Listeners will also be interested in an interview at the end of the book in which the author discusses her writing process and her struggle with dyslexia. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]