The Beverly Cleary Audio Collection

I’ll admit: I approached this as a nostalgic adult, not the target audience, and still found myself laughing out loud during Neil Patrick Harris’ delivery of Henry’s increasingly desperate attempts to hide his dog Ribsy’s latest mess. The narration is the star here—each performer adopts a distinct rhythm that suits their character. Johnny Heller’s gruff, no-nonsense take on *The Mouse and the Motorcycle*’s Ralph feels like a grizzled biker recounting his glory days, while Christina Moore’s Ellen Tebbits is all breathless indignation, perfectly capturing that age where a mismatched underwear reveal is a social catastrophe. That said, the collection’s pacing isn’t flawless. The transition between longer works (*Ramona and Her Father*) and bite-sized stories (*Socks*) can feel jarring, like switching from a novel to a vignette mid-stride. And while most narrators nail Cleary’s tone, one or two (I’m looking at you, *Otis Spofford*) occasionally veer into *afterschool-special* earnestness, sapping the humor. Still, the production quality is impeccable—no tinny audio or awkward edits—and the sheer variety means there’s something for every kid (or kid-at-heart). My 8-year-old nephew inhaled the Ramona stories but glaze-over during *Fifteen*, proving Cleary’s genius: she writes *for* children, not about them. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at a well-meaning but cloying kids’ book, this collection is the antidote.