So Much to Tell You

Grade 7-9-Australian young adult author John Marsden's powerful classic (Joy Street Books, 1989), which was immediately popular both in Australia and in the U.S., translates well to the audio format and becomes accessible to an even wider audience in this medium. Marina, the high school-aged protagonist, suffers from elective mutism, occasioned, we learn across time, by abuse she's suffered at home. Now she is in the supportive environment of a boarding school, learning slowly to trust both peers and adults. A diary assignment she has been given by her English teacher becomes this novel. Marsden builds a compelling and vivid world quickly, and develops a variety of female characters cogently. Kate Hosking reads quietly, which befits the mute aspect of the protagonist who is also the narrator. In audio format, this will make a good discussion book for groups with varying literacy, as well as a good choice for teens alone or sharing car trips with parents.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.