HOME OF THE BRAVE

Dominic Hoffman's voice, old and weary, may at first cause confusion in listeners' minds. But not for long, for they'll soon enter the heart of Kek, a 10-year-old Sudanese refugee who finds himself in Minnesota in the cold of winter. Kek, who has seen his father and brother killed, waits for his displaced mother to arrive in the United States and tries to sort out the strangeness of his aunt's home and an ESL class that has students with "16 ways of talking." As narrator, Hoffman emphasizes the free-verse writing, his pauses strengthening the melody of the language. The story is emotional and might seem stereotypical in print, but the way Hoffman lets the words wash over listeners will engage them with the lyricism of Kek's story. S.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]