New Audiobooks
By Lisa Von Drasek

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale, read by Cynthia Bishop and The Full Cast Family (Full Cast Audio, 2005, ISBN: 1-932-07672-7, 10 CDs, $45.00, ages 12+). This retelling of a German fairytale tells of a princess who falls from luxurious living to become a lowly servant girl. Hale spins an engaging fantasy adventure of a female protagonist with the gift of speaking to animals. This audio is presented in a reader's theater format with a cast of actors performing each character. Hale's stunning debut novel (Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2003, ISBN: 1-582-34990-8) won the Bank Street College Josette Frank Award for Fiction and was one of American Library Association's top ten books for teens.

A Story for Bear by Dennis Haseley, read by Richard Poe (Recorded Books, 2005, ISBN: 1-419-37186-X, one cassette, $10.75, ages 4+). The audio companion to the picture book dreamily illustrated by Jim LaMarche (Silver Whistle, 2002, ISBN: 0-152-00239-1) provides a wonderful rest-time story. The narrator's soft, gentle tone expresses the other-worldly nature of the story of a woman who loved books and the bear who came to hear her read aloud. Page turns are indicated by an unobtrusive melodious chime.

Beyond the Deepwoods: The Edge Chronicles Book One by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, read by Clive Mantle (Listening Library, 2005, ISBN: 0-307-24514-4, five CDs, $30.00). Young Twig lives in the Deepwoods, among the Woodtrolls, but he isn't one of them. In search of his identity, Twig ventures out into the wider world. Fantasy-lovers looking for a new world and adventures to lose themselves in will be excited to find The Edge Chronicles. Although the audio edition is lacking in the intricate black and white line drawings of the book edition (David Fickling Books, 2004, ISBN: 0-385-75068-4), it more than makes up with the plummy, British storytelling of Clive Mantle and well-scored, sweeping soundtrack. The first of this series casts a wide spell of odd and humorous characters that encompass the best of fantasy fiction. For maps and further information about this detailed imaginary place, go to www.randomhouse.com/kids/edgechronicles

Lisa Von Drasek is Children's Librarian at the Bank Street College of Education in New York, NY.