From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8–Emily Rodda's mystery set in Australia focuses on a group of teenagers who need summer jobs and advertise for them through Teen Power, Inc., a placement service set up at Raven Hill High School by a student. Their first job is delivering a free local paper called
The Pen. Mysteries and odd occurrences begin piling up as the group makes its deliveries, encountering a neighborhood ghost in a soon-to-be-developed glen in the area, discovering the paper and its editor are being threatened with foreclosure, dealing with a strange fire, and encountering rumors of a mysterious big story hinted at when the former editor had died under sinister circumstances. Narrator Rebecca Macauley is a master of voices, able to deepen and raise the pitch remarkably as well as varying breathiness and tone to give a separate identity to each character. The story develops rapidly and provides suspense and clues building to a solution. A brief musical phrase introduces each chapter. By listening carefully, students will understand the Australian accent and any unfamiliar vocabulary. This audiobook will be useful in mystery collections aimed at upper elementary through middle school students. For fans of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.–
Jane P. Fenn, Corning-Painted Post West High School, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
In this Raven Hill mystery from Australia, Liz gets a group of friends together with the intent of making some money. It isn't long before they're up to their ears in mystery and adventure. Rebecca Macauley's accent is fun for young American listeners. In addition, she does a superb job creating different voices for the many characters, with an especially notable elderly lady who helps the children to get in touch with a "ghost." Between each chapter are jazzy riffs, which help keep the mood upbeat. Overall, the narrator keeps the tone cheery, an approach that works well for a work reminiscent of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. D.G. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
