I AM A POLE (AND SO CAN YOU!)

Colbert’s silly not-for-children children’s book tells the tale of a pole that is looking for its one true calling. It tries being everything from a Maypole to a tadpole to a Gallup Poll—to no avail. Tom Hanks narrates the bulk of the pole’s quest with warmth and enthusiasm, but it is the interactions between Stephen Colbert and Hanks in the introduction and closing that really make this a fun listen. Colbert’s mock-bombastic personality gushes from the speakers, and Hanks’s exasperation at the continuous interruptions from the author is priceless. (Note: When asked to do the Spanish-language version, he opts instead to take his Oscars and go home.) A booklet of Paul Hildebrand’s illustrations accompanies the recording, making this a nicely rounded-out production. A.H.A. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2012]