NO BIKING IN THE HOUSE WITHOUT A HELMET

It’s hard to decide what’s more infectious about this production—Melissa Fay Greene’s writing or narrator Coleen Marlo’s enthusiasm. Greene demonstrates her prowess at transforming nonfiction into a gripping story. In this book she writes about her family of four biological and five adopted children, and the joy and baggage that accompany them all. Whether discussing “boingy hair,” her Ethiopian adoptees’ athletic skills, her puzzlement about the value of Super Bowl tickets, or her children’s travails with cable pornography, Greene excels. So does Marlo, who reads with a fervor that makes the listener feel like a guest in Greene’s home. Marlo perfectly mixes the family’s happiness and inevitable rocky moments in an endearing way, making a wonderful book even better. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2011]