Where the Wild Things Are

Sendak's book has been a children's classic for more than 20 years, and this audio version only makes it better. Peter Schickele manages to portray all of Max's emotions--anger, sadness, joy, and loneliness--using varied pace, elongated words, clear enunciation, and the staccato pattern of young children's speech. And while at first he sounds too gruff, as soon as he softens his voice, his performance becomes the epitome of the lightening fast mood changes of childhood. The jazzy musical accompaniment--full of drums, trumpets, and horns--also by Schickele, builds to a crescendo during the "wild rumpus." An excellent reading of a true classic, and a book young children will certainly identify with. W.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine