Swordbird
Nancy Yi Fan, , read by Colleen Delaney. . HarperChildren's Audio, $25.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-06-123398-2
As any fan of Brian Jacques's Redwall saga knows, the forest is teeming with societies of animals that have complicated dynamics. Thirteen-year-old author Yi Fan's debut novel joins the genre with her tale told from the birds' vantage point, translated handily to audio by Delaney. The narrator's steady, assured delivery paints a captivating fantasy world for listeners, replete with feathered heroes and villains. Turnatt, the tyrant hawk, forces his enslaved woodbird subjects to steal eggs and food from both the blue jays and the cardinals, causing the two bird tribes to blame each other and go to war. But when a neutral party reveals Turnatt's plan, the warring factions join forces to seek out the Swordbird, Son of the Great Spirit, the only true hope to help them restore peace. Though listeners may have trouble differentiating Delaney's bird character voices, adventure, action and allegory abound here, helping this recording to take wing. A bonus interview with the author is included. Ages 10-up.
Reviewed on: 03/12/2007
Genre: Audio
Downloadable Audio - 978-0-06-135350-5
Hardcover - 219 pages - 978-0-06-113099-1
Hardcover - 241 pages - 978-0-7862-9738-2
Library Binding - 217 pages - 978-0-06-113100-4
Open Ebook - 256 pages - 978-0-06-134967-6
Other - 256 pages - 978-0-06-134972-0
Other - 256 pages - 978-0-06-175726-6
Paperback - 256 pages - 978-0-06-113101-1
Paperback - 238 pages - 978-986-6451-07-2
Paperback - 236 pages - 978-0-00-725073-8
Peanut Press/Palm Reader - 256 pages - 978-0-06-134970-6
Pre-Recorded Audio Player - 978-1-60514-800-7
