The Gizmo Again

As someone who’s listened to more than my fair share of YA audiobooks, I’ll admit I approached *The Gizmo Again* with cautious curiosity. Paul Jennings’ reputation for surreal, slightly sinister tales precedes him, but I wasn’t prepared for how Greenslade would elevate the material. His narration is a revelation—he doesn’t so much perform these stories as he does *conduct* them, modulating his tone to match the creeping dread or sudden hilarity of each twist. The standout track for me was the titular tale, where a boy’s reckless act with an ice cream cone gets him a taste of his own medicine in the most literal way possible. Greenslade’s delivery of the final line—delivered with a smirk you can *hear*—sent me into full belly laughs. That said, this collection isn’t perfect. A couple of the stories feel a tad too brief, resolving almost before they’ve had a chance to breathe, which is a shame given how rich Jennings’ ideas are. And while the humour is a major draw, some listeners might find the relentless weirdness grating if they’re after something more grounded. But for those who crave audiobooks that surprise, unsettle, and delight in equal measure, *The Gizmo Again* is a bite-sized feast of the unexpected. It’s the kind of listen that sticks with you not because of its length, but because of its audacity.