FANTASTIC MR. FOX AND OTHER ANIMAL STORIES Includes Esio Trot, The Enormous Crocodile & The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

Outstanding performances and enticing musical accompaniments and sound effects capture the effervescent spirit of Roald Dahl’s characters in this quartet of stories. Chris O’Dowd narrates the title work, sporting a hearty accent for Mr. Badger while presenting diverse personalities for the three farmers who are trying to rid themselves of the cunning fox. Geoffrey Palmer narrates ESIO TROT with animated portrayals of Mr. Hoppy and Mrs. Silver, especially in the latter’s comical reading of an incantation. Stephen Fry offers a deep and resounding voice for THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE, along with plodding pacing that conveys the crocodile’s largeness and ridiculous attempts at disguise. In THE GIRAFFE AND THE PELLY AND ME, Hugh Laurie’s lively performance and vastly different voices for the window-cleaning trio, the boisterous Duke, and humorous, operatic Duchess provide the grand finale of this enchanting children’s collection. M.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2013]