The King's Strings just finished a 6 day "tour". Knowing that we had so much driving to do this month, I had checked out an audio book to amuse us in the van. Actually, I still call them books-on-tape, which my older boys find very amusing, for some reason. When blindly choosing a book, or audio version, one never knows if it will be a dud or a winner; inappropriate for the younger set, or perfect for the whole family.
This time it was a nearly-perfect win, with the best audience being elementary students. The title chosen was Betti on the High Wire by Lisa Railsback. It is the story of a girl, orphaned in a war-torn country (the country of origin is never specified, leaving it to the reader to decide), and adopted in America. Over-simplified on some accounts, the book nevertheless does an excellent job of helping children see what it is like to live in dangerous countries with few comforts, then to be thrust into affluent American culture. Through Betti, children can better understand why it's difficult to adapt even in the most loving and understanding environment.
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