Minnie McClary Speaks Her Mind

When a middle school teacher encourages her students to ask questions and think for themselves, the town’s parents might not like it, but Minnie McClary finds the courage to speak (and write) her mind. In this audio production, narrator Tara Sands delivers a unique and appropriate voice for Minnie. Sands also adeptly gives voice to Minnie’s new Muslim friend Amira, whose outward calm masks fears that she will be bullied because of her headscarf. The voices of other characters, however, tend to blur. Minnie’s mother sounds too much like Miss Marks, the teacher idolized by her daughter. Moreover, nearly all the male characters—both young and old—sound alike, making it difficult to determine who is speaking when and detracting from the listening experience.. Ages 8–up. A Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover. (Aug.)