Dutt bestows aural enhancement to debut author Pinto’s homage to “Hansel and Gretel”—cleverly updated with mischievous loons, peach pickles, and ghost-seeing goggles.
Small’s versatile accents and rhythms guarantee a dramatic performance; her recitation as Claudie’s mother recalling a lynching to her young daughter is exceptionally haunting.
Relative audiobook newbie and Spanish-fluent Rocha is a thoughtful narrator, subtly spotlighting Lalo’s under-the-radar maturity. Rocha attentively reads rather than performs the various characters, but his compassionate, deliberate exposition is just the calm Lalo needs to be distinctly heard.
Libraries should offer all formats to promote read-alongs: seeing images of diverse bodies (thanks to artist Tequitia Andrews’s inclusive, inviting illustrations) is undoubtedly an empowering experience for all ages.