Ellen Foster

Kaye Gibbons's drawl has a persistency that wins out over her flat tone. In her character of 11-year-old Ellen, who soothes her wounded spirit by imagining ways to kill her abusive father, the intense monotony of the voice draws the listener into the depths of her hurt and emotional awareness. For all the story's grimness, there's warmth and humor. As read by Gibbons, they're understated but projected nonetheless. We feel, rather than hear, her sneers or affirmations of love. The quandaries of a child's life in an uncaring adult world are well presented by Gibbons in both her writing and her performance. S.B.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Ellen Foster is the 11-year-old victim of poverty, abuse and unimaginable neglect. Her story would be unbearable were it not for the direct, no-pity-expected manner in which Ellen relates her sad tale. Her matter-of-fact style is captured expertly by narrator Ruth Ann Phimister, who injects the telling with Ellen's dry humor and honest, clear-eyed recognition of the shortcomings of the adults in her life. Phimister creates a believable 11-year-old and, although her Southern accent occasionally strikes an odd note, she sustains both the accent and the youthful voice throughout. Listeners will be enriched by keeping company with Ellen. D.M.L. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine