The Amber Cat

A boy has chicken pox and 'The Amber Cat' is the tale his mother tells him to pass the time. The structure of this work may be confusing to some children, as well as their parents. However, Keith's performance is well done. His narrative voice is a bit slow and somewhat bland. Nonetheless, his characterizations are splendid--spirited and true to life. M.T.F. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

June 28, 1999
"McKay adds just the right measure of magic to this resonant follow-up to Dog Friday," said PW in a starred review. Ages 9-12.

Reader Nigel Lambert, veteran British star of children's audiobooks, seems to find this story delicious. He rolls each character off his tongue with endearing glee and does the narration with equal and effortless aplomb. His children's voices--there are eight or nine, and a few adults, too--are slightly high, sometimes rapid, always well delineated. The story involves the time-traveling ghost of a little girl, but the reader is scarcely aware of that; there's no ghoulish horror here. It is the clean mythos of the 11-year-old that McKay describes so well and Lambert reflects so melodiously. Both are expressive, uncloying, delightful. D.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine