LOVE FROM YOUR FRIEND, HANNAH

Skolsky has created a gem for children of all ages, but the various voices set this jewel into a setting of fine platinum. Hannah is a young girl in 1930's New York who's sad because her best friend has moved away and doesn't answer her letters. However, Hannah has a lively life of letters as she corresponds with the Roosevelt White House, her relatives and a boy in Kansas. Each reader is splendid. Barbara Caruso's Eleanor Roosevelt and Aunt Becky illustrate her excellent range of characters, and Edward Blake's FDR is believable. But top billing goes to Laura Hamilton as Hannah. Not only is this a mini-sketch of American history and accents, but also a wonderful story of everyday life in a small town. The charming portrait is enhanced by the author's closing comments in her own voice. S.G.B. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 99]