Slumming

Kliatt, July, 2004 by Bette Ammon

SLUMMING. Kristen D. Randle. 2003. Various narrators. 4 tapes. 4.5 hrs. Recorded Books. #97563. 1-4025-6475-9. $36.00. Vinyl; plot notes. JSA

From KLIATT's July 2003 review of the book: "Alicia, the student government type; Nikki, the perky, chatty type; and Sam, the football type, are best friends, brought together by their shared Mormon faith. The only have two months before they graduate when they decide they need to do something different, something that will make a difference. So, they create a competition. Each one of them will select a classmate from the least-likely-to-succeed list and then have three weeks to transform their picks, Pygmalion style, into their prom dates. After the prom, they'll get together to decide who has been the most successful in their 'experiment' to help their classmates more into the mainstream. What none of them realizes, however, is that forming a relationship is a two-way street ... Randle makes it clear that we are all on the outside looking in, and we can never presume to really know who's on the other side looking back at us."

Different readers present the sections within chapters that alternate among the main characters. The narrators are believable as the earnest, challenged. and frustrated teens they portray. Each section begins with the narrator stating the character's name--characters who receive as much as they give as they involve themselves in the lives of fellow students. Randle is an excellent writer and this audio version perfectly captures the emotional story. Bette Ammon, Director, Missoula P.L., Missoula, MT