SEE YOU AT HARRY'S

Narrator Kate Rudd handles heartache, tenderness, and tragedy in equal measure. Her portrayal of Fern moves fluidly between thoughts, observation, and dialogue. Twelve-year-old Fern is the third of four children, and she’s used to feeling invisible. But that’s nothing compared to what she feels when tragedy strikes her family, and she’s certain of only one thing: It’s her fault. Rudd nails every character from depressed new-age mom to moody adolescent brother. Her pitch and pace are always appropriate to the mood and the character. Additionally, she surmounts what may be the ultimate challenge: voicing a 3-year-old as heartbreakingly innocent without devolving into the sickly sweet—except, of course, when the character demands it. A.M.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2012]