Alexander

When Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, he thinks that maybe it's going to be a bad day. When he trips on the skateboard by his bed and drops his sweater in the sink, he knows it's going to be even worse than he thought. His brothers find fabulous prizes in their cereal boxes; he finds cereal. His best friends get fancy desserts in their lunch boxes; Mom forgets dessert. From being scrunched in the car on the way to school all the way to lima beans for supper and kissing on TV (yuck!), the day just keeps getting worse. It's enough to make him want to move to Australia. A popular and prolific author of children's books, Judith Viorst writes so that kids can recognize themselves in her stories. Johnny Heller's sympathetic reading lets the child in everybody identify with Alexander's predicament and his temptation to go somewhere far away.

Alexander's two brothers have money in their pockets. All he has are bus tokens. It isn't fair. He had money last Sunday when his grandparents gave them each a dollar. Now it's all gone. At first he was saving the money for a walkie-talkie. But saving money is hard. He bought gum with some of the money, but when it stopped tasting good, he had to buy more. Good-bye 15 cents. Then Eddie offered to rent him his snake for an hour, and he couldn't pass up a chance like that. Betting his brother that he could hold his breath while he counted to 300 wasn't a good idea, either. He'll never own that walkie-talkie! Judith Viorst has a gift for getting inside a little boy's head and making sense of what goes on there. Paired with Johnny Heller's acting talent, the result is a good chuckle, laced with real compassion, for the child in everyone.

Alexander's dad has a new job a thousand miles away, so now his family has to move. Alexander would rather have poison ivy. Maybe he could live with the Baldwins and their dog. He's always wanted a dog. How can he leave Rachel, his favorite baby-sitter, who taught him to stand on his head and whistle with two fingers (but not at the same time)? And his best friend Paul, who's like a brother, except that he doesn't call Alexander "puke-face" like his real brother does? Just as Alexander is ready to hide from his parents, Dad decides that a boy might need a dog to make the move easier. And Mom says he can call Paul long distance. He's already memorized the number. Johnny Heller's interpretation of this popular best-seller is a fun listening experience for children of all ages. Judith Viorst's remarkable empathy for children shines brilliantly once again.