VERA RUNS AWAY

The day that report cards go home is a BIG one for first-graders. After peeking into the envelopes, Vera listens as friend Norman expounds upon how his family would respond to Vera's report card. Yet families are different, and Vera is not pleased when her family is too busy, at first, to celebrate her grades. Laura Hamilton knows Vera and each family member well. She is the distracted mom with a new baby, the sisters who don't think much about first-grade firsts, and the dad who is mired in tools and toilet repairs. As Vera, she pouts and plans, regrets, and reaches new understanding and joy with childlike verve. The background track sounds just like a busy household. A.R. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 08]