Keeper

The author's honeyed voice recounts her story of Keeper, a 10-year-old girl who rides a rowboat into the Gulf of Mexico to find her missing mother, who she's sure is a mermaid. Using an omniscient point-of-view that allows listeners to enter the minds of a cat, two dogs, a seagull, an elderly neighbor, and Keeper herself, Appelt mixes sea lore and family drama. The style is reminiscent of her animal-centric Newbery Honor winner, THE UNDERNEATH. Appelt aptly portrays a comical seagull who constantly calls "come on, come on," and means it. She also deftly portrays Two, the dog left behind, who encourages his humans with "yep, yep, yep" even when he wishes he could bark "nope, nope, nope." Full of flashbacks and gentle humor, this is a keeper. M.M.C. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine