EMMY AND THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING RAT

Ever since her parents became rich, Emmy's life has been a lot less fun—they disappear on long trips and leave her in the hands of a cold-hearted nanny named Miss Barmy. All this begins to change when Emmy is bitten by a talking rat. Soon she begins to unravel the mystery of her parents' strange behavior, gaining many animal friends along the way. Read by author Lynne Jonell and a full cast, the production is multivoiced without being fully dramatized. Jonell narrates with an understated curiosity and humor that allow this quirky tale to shine, while other cast members sound appropriate, if not memorable. This imaginative story is sure to engage the whole family. F.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2010]