Little Lord Fauntleroy

This meticulous abridgment does a good job with Burnett's classic rags-to-riches story. Kindly fate transports an American boy, Cedric Errol, to England when he is discovered to be heir to the earldom of Dorincourt. Prepared to hate the American upstart, the crusty earl finds he can't resist his grandson's love. Teresa Gallagher's gentle, refined voice brings the precocious Cedric into listeners' hearts with arresting success. Equally well depicted are the pithy sayings of the ancient earl and Cedric's mother's bell-like tones. Characters and significant dialogue appear seamlessly, and there are few continuity issues in the abridgment. Narration and script combine to present a merry audiobook. C.A. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine


A boy from New York City, young Cedric Errol, is whisked off to England to claim his rightful place as Lord Fauntleroy, heir to the vile-tempered, old Earl of Dorincourt. The romantic tale has surprising charm despite its extreme sentimentality. Langbehn's dramatic reading and pleasant voice are quite effective in communicating Burnett's nineteenth-century style to modern day listeners. There are a few lapses in her characterizations and some slight production faults, such as the volume from tape to tape varying significantly, but these are very minor in an overall enjoyable recording for listeners grade 4 to adult. S.G. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine