Captains Courageous

Harvey Cheyne, the spoiled fifteen-year-old son of a millionaire, falls from an ocean liner off the coast of Newfoundland in the 1890's. Rescued by the crew of a fishing schooner, he must remain on board and work the season. His experiences and the bonds he forms with the crew change him from a spoiled adolescent to a self-reliant young man. This production is an excellent choice for family listening. It's well-read by David Stuart, with believable New England and various foreign accents. Lots of action and interesting conversations portraying life aboard a fishing schooner keep the pace moving. Here's a notable example of how well classics can work on audio. M.A.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Kipling's 1897 novel is set on the savage waters of the Grand Banks, where a millionaire's son is swept off an ocean liner and picked up by fishing schooner, whose crew teaches him about life at sea. John Chancer has his hands full with this challenging text, and he's not altogether successful, though there are flashes of very good work. In addition to the Gloucester salts, the crew includes an Irishman and a Portuguese fisherman. Chancer handles the accents with some skill, particularly the gruff captain, Disko Troop. Some of his other voices, however, are ill-chosen and whiny, and he misreads too many lines. It doesn't help that he's betrayed by some poor production quality. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

A coming-of-age story, this sea adventure will delight adolescents, especially boys. Rich, spoiled Harvey Shane falls overboard, is rescued by a commercial fishing boat, and has to earn his keep. The best reader is narrator Jim Barker; his voice is calm and steady throughout this salty tale. Lots of "aye-aye" and "ahoy, mate" dialogue between fishermen sounds natural, but most other characters, especially the boys, sound stilted and artificial. Appropriate sound effects, such as birds shrieking and storm sounds, augment the production. A.G.H. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine