Substitute

Tom Zingarelli sounds like he's having as much fun narrating this audiobook as the author must have had in writing about his 28-day experience as a substitute teacher in a Maine public school district. Professional teachers and administrators may quibble with the audiobook's conceit, but Baker captures the experiences and feelings of students and teachers as they navigate a school day. Zingarelli has a voice and style that don't fit neatly into categories. His rich, deep, slightly fuzzy voice dips and soars, quickens and slows, and renders heartfelt character voices that ring true. He also grabs Baker's style--sarcastic, realistic, sympathetic--and translates it for the spoken word. It's a fun book and worth a listen. R.I.G. � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine