The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World
Tricia Melgaard, Centennial Middle School, Broken Arrow, OK -- School Library Journal, 2/19/2008
The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World (unabr.). 4 cassettes or 4 CDs. 4:30 hrs. Recorded Books. 2007. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4281-7177-0: $33.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4281-7181-7: $46.75.
Gr 5-8–E. L. Konigsberg, a master storyteller, has created a clever narrative (Ginee Seo Books, 2007) tailor-made for performance. Her gift of intertwining story lines shines in this tale about sixth-grader Amedeo Kaplan, a lonely child new to St. Malo, Florida. Deo meets older classmate William Wilcox who invites the boy to help him and his mother with the liquidation of the estate of Mrs. Zender, Deo’s eccentric neighbor. Deo is thrilled to lend a hand. Mrs. Zender, a former second-rate opera diva, traveled the world, and Deo is convinced her home will uncover magnificent treasures. Each of these characters comes to life with the skillful performance of veteran actor Edward Herrmann. With distinct and interesting voices, he eases listeners into a complicated plot involving flashbacks to the art world of Nazi Germany, an art exhibit in Wisconsin, and William and Deo’s discovery in Florida. Hermann’s interpretation of a young Dutch boy facing Nazi prejudice is especially poignant. Fans of Konigsberg’s previous mysteries will relish this fine audiobook.
