Audio of the Week--The Report Card (unabr.)
From SLJ July 2005
B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY -- School Library Journal, 7/11/2005
2 cassettes or 2 CDs. 3:21 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape (www.library.booksontape.com). 2005. cassette, ISBN 0-307-20750-1: $23; CD, ISBN 0-307-20751-X: $30.
Gr 3-7–Fifth grader Nora Rowley narrates this tale by Andrew Clements (S & S, 2004) about a child who attempts to prove to adults that some accepted standards should be questioned. Since she was an infant, Nora has known that she is a genius. When she realized the attention this would garner, she decided at a very early age to hide this fact from her family. She managed to get through kindergarten by imitating other children and mirroring their progress in things she had long ago mastered, such as writing and reading. By fifth grade, Nora has firmly established herself in everyone’s mind as a thoroughly average student. Her best friend, Stephen, has difficulty taking tests and with pressure to do well. However, this year, Nora has a plan. She hopes to prove that grades and standardized testing are not true reflections of a person’s intelligence or abilities. This recording brings all the humor and thought-provoking aspects of the novel to life. Dina Sherman narrates beautifully, easily taking on the role of a fifth grade girl who is extremely bright yet is fooling everyone into believing otherwise. She also capably voices the adults in the story, especially the sympathetic librarian and the school psychologist who doesn’t appreciate having been made a fool of by a 10 year old. Upper elementary and middle school students will relate to the pressures these fifth graders face over testing and grades.
