What Do You Do with a Kangaroo?

Animal noises, bouncy music, and Jane Casserly's brisk narration celebrate Mayer's story of a little girl who fends off demanding animals that invade her home. Casserly's enthusiastic vigor invites children to join the refrains that introduce and conclude each ridiculous situation. Casserly's characterizations are drawn carefully from Mayer's work. Precise pronunciations match the picture of the proper kangaroo who orders a bed made with unwrinkled sheets. Texas accents represent the rough-and-tumble llama that climbs into the girl's jeans. A gruff and exotic Bengal tiger insists on receiving transport to the circus. But best of all is Casserly's tinny, small voice for the heroine, which evokes both her youth and the backbone that makes her a role model. S.W. 2009 Audies Finalist (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine