The Rescuers

Gr 8 Up—This audiobook is part of Anne Schraff's "Urban Underground" series for reluctant teen readers. In this story, the characters discover what it means to rescue animals and people. For example, Chelsea, soon to be a freshman at Tubman High, and her older brother Jaris, a rising senior, encounter scarred, one-eyed Shadrach on the street rescuing an injured opossum. Subsequently, through a science teacher at the school, Chelsea and several friends become assistants to Shadrach's opossum rescue group. Getting acquainted with Shadrach and the animals enables the students to move past appearances and learn about the special qualities they all possess. Concurrently, Jaris helps his girlfriend deal with her mother's drunkenness and a difficult home situation. As the story unfolds, there are some references to situations from previous books. Although the narrator successfully distinguishes each character's voice, he enunciates each word with extra care, sometimes making the dialogue sound stilted and unnatural. The message communicated throughout the story may move students to think about ways to help others. A resource guide can be purchased at www.sdlback.com. For libraries where the series is in demand.—Rebecca James, Currey Ingram Academy, Brentwood, TN