"Eleanor & Park,"
by Rainbow Rowell
(Read by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra, Listening Library, 7 CDs, 9 hours)
Rainbow Rowell is one of those authors who does a wonderful job of getting inside her characters’ heads. Set during the 1986 school year, this tale of two star-crossed, intelligent teens is both clever and realistic. Though listed as a young adult title, it is quite sophisticated and covers topics both serious and whimsical, from bullying to mix tapes to battered women. The narrators sound appropriately youthful and bring energy and wry humor to their banter. (Warning: Listeners may find some language offensive.) Grade: A–
