BLACKOUT

When author/illustrator John Rocco interviewed people who had experienced the 2003 blackout in the Northeast, he noted a special look in their eyes and heard vivid memories. That was his inspiration for this Caldecott Honor Book. Why stay in a stuffy apartment when you could be on the roof with a star-filled sky or on the street in the midst of an instant party? Stanley Tucci's narration does Rocco proud. He gives weight to each descriptive phrase and dramatically elongates words like "candles” and "flashlights," providing anticipatory pauses while young listeners look at the illustrations. Each family member in the story is given a distinctive voice. Background sounds underscore the city setting, and jaunty music enlivens the party scene. An interview with John Rocco completes the production. A.R. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2013]