Fanso and Granny Flo

This is one of 11 titles in a series of Caribbean stories for children of various ages representing the very best written about the Caribbean. Stories of the supernatural written and read by the gifted storyteller Grace Hallworth will appeal to very young children, yet are timeless enough for any age. Many teachers will be delighted to find three titles of Ann Camerson's Julian stories in the series. The dramatisation of James Berry's Fanso and Granny Flo is faultless and the use of the second voice as the boy Fanso is stereophonically effective. Not only does James Berry give us a moving story of a boy's search for his real father; there is also a vivid picture of the Caribbean village life as Fanso mills the coconut which his Granny cuts so deftly. The two readers inject into the Caribbean accent and dialect immense emotional range from Granny Flo's stoicism and love, her prayers for rain and her bitterness towards Fanso's no-good father, to Fanso's bewilderment and longing - all expressed through tone and expression.

(Culture Waves, PO Box 1301, London N16 5YS)