Sir Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World. By Sid Fleischman. 3 CDs. 3:40 hrs. AudioGo. 2012. ISBN 978-1-935430-92-6. $39.95.
Gr 5 Up–A strange way of walking, an odd wardrobe, and extreme over-the-top gestures are just some of the characteristics of Charlie Chaplin. Listeners will learn a lot more about the man behind the hat and mustache in this biography. Fleishman has penned (Greenwillow, 2010) a detailed account of this beloved silent-movies comedian, from his life of poverty as a child in the London slums living with an alcoholic father, an insane mother, and shy tendencies to his glory days on the stage and in movies to a scandal and an investigation that rocked his life to his being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Fred Sullivan’s narration is superb, with just the right accents and pacing. No humor is lost in this verbal description of Chaplin’s more notable acts as Fleishman depicts his slapstick comedy routines that called for lots of physical humor. This well-research account about “the funniest man in the world” will enthrall listeners.–Katie Llera,Sayreville Middle School, NJ
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