Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Five, Six, Seven, Nate! by Tim Federle-5 stars



Federle, Tim, Five, Six, Seven, Nate! 6 CDs, 7.08 hrs. Unabridged. Simon and Schuster Audio, 2014. ISBN 978-14423-7419-5
When Nate Foster gets offered the 
part of a lifetime as ET’s understudy in E.T: The Broadway Musical in New York, he couldn’t have been more excited. When he goes to his first day of rehearsal, however, he doesn’t seem to really fit in with the other kids, he can’t tap dance, and he keeps hurting people by accident during rehearsal. Because of such, his photographic memory gets wasted on a part as Alien #7, who only says one word the whole play. As the producers keep switching everything left and right, Nate is the only one who is able to learn the changes. When the lead Jordan gets laryngitis, the producers threaten to cancel first preview. With Nate’s awesome memory, will he be able to save the day or will the play flop?

Based on his experiences acting, Tim Federle narrates his own book with style. His intonations and expressions, he brings to life the quirky, fun character of Nate, a Broadway hopeful. His mix of internal dialogue and character interaction is well-done and easy to follow in his narration. With well-developed characters and a fun plot that will engage readers, this author as narrator audiobook will draw in reluctant readers who enjoy books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the Big Nate series books will enjoy listening to this audiobook. 

5 stars, Grades 5 to 8