EIGHT KEYS

At first, Georgette Perna’s voice sounds too young for a middle-school girl. However, it will appeal to this book’s true audience, elementary-age students. Elise struggles to maintain her childhood friendship with Franklin as she begins middle school. She receives some guidance from her late father: Eight keys appear to guide her to hidden rooms that reveal secrets from her past. Perna subtly differentiates Franklin's and Elise’s voices so their dialogue is clear. She captures Elise’s torment as she faces persistent bullying. Overall, her reading of Elise’s feelings is heartfelt and sincere. Listeners may become teary-eyed as they hear the wishes Elise’s father left for his child. The emotional power of this story translates well to audio. C.A. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2011]