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Title: Mudville
Author: Kurtis Scaletta
Narrator: Randy Anderson
Format: Unabridged
Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins
Language: English
Release date: 01-16-12
Publisher: Kurtis Scaletta c/o ICM
Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 37 votes
Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10
Publisher's Summary:
Welcome to Moundville, where it's been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed - right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain. That was 22 years ago... and it's still pouring.
Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he's in for a dreary, soggy summer. But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn't weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis's arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy's concerned, it's time to play some baseball. It's time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It's time for a rematch.
Critic Reviews:
"Readers will cheer Roy on as he struggles to get his team in shape, clicks with a girl who is new to the game but turns out to have an unhittable natural screwball, and weathers some rough waters with moody Sturgis on the way to a rousing climax and a fitting resolution." (School Library Journal)
"Sports nuts, including reluctant readers, will sense they are in good hands with this one. Grades 4-8." (Booklist)
Members Reviews:
Narrator ruined the listening experience
What would have made Mudville better?
Consistent volume levels
Would you recommend Mudville to your friends? Why or why not?
Not to listen to, perhaps to read.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Randy Anderson?
He was fine for all but two characters
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Mudville?
Wouldn't delete scene(s) but would listen to the finished product prior to releasing it. Virtually impossible to listen to with headphones on, because of wide variance of character voice fluctuations.
Any additional comments?
I'm not sure the age group the story was aimed at, but the father was portrayed (and sounded) like an idiot cartoon dad. The absolute worst part was the adopted cousin character. The narrator virtually shouted every thing this kid said. The narrator would talk quietly and smoothly throughout the book, but then would shout any line the cousin said. He sounded like a retarded boy with a hearing problem (ie., talks way louder than everyone else). It was close to impossible to finish listening to the book. When ever I anticipated the boy talking I would have to turn my volume way down. It actually hurt my ears.
There Is Some Joy in Mudville
What did you love best about Mudville?
As an adult listening to a middle grade book, what I like best about Mudville are its variety of themes, the complexity of its main characters, and the messages it offers young readers. The plot is built upon a baseball showdown between Moundville (Mudville) and a rival neighboring town, but woven into that are themes of friendship, family, loyalty, dedication, selflessness, defining moments, first crushes, and even some issues of race relations.
Baseball always makes for a good metaphor, and Mudville proves to be no exception, to its credit even using the statistical aspect of baseball as a recurring metaphor. Well written, well thought out, and surprisingly complex (but not too complex) for its target audience.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I would not believe anyone who read this book and chose any character other than Sturgis as a favorite.
