'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Saturday, 11 February 2017

Audiobook Review: The Billie B Brown Collection

The extremely popular Aussie early reader series, Billie B Brown, is wonderfully brought to life in this Audiobook collection, read by Australian actress Eloise Mignon.

The 'B' in Billie B Brown stands for so many different things, Bossy, Bully, Ballerina and Brave to name a few, with each book in the series starting with a short structured introduction and a new 'B' characteristic.

What sets this series apart from other early readers, particularly those with female lead characters, is the severe lack of pink, princesses, fairies and other standard 'girl' fare. That's not to say that Billie doesn't posses the interests and hobbies that little girls tend to have, she does a ballet class with her best friend Jack, she likes pony toys and sparkly pens, it just so happens that these aren't the only things she likes. Which is pretty in line with most little girls I know.

Sally Rippin has given us a wonderful character in Billie, she's an ordinary kid who has ordinary kid dilemmas. She is adventurous, she is flawed, she has good days and bad ones, but it is her extraordinary spirit that makes her such a wonderful character that kids (and this adult!) relate to so readily.

Eloise Mignon's reading of this collection of five stories uses clear articulation and good pacing to deftly convey Billie's youthful voice, without sounding like she's trying to imitate or talk down to her audience. Between Rippin's words and Mignon's narration, this audiobook beautifully captures the quintessential expressions of Aussie kids.

For more Billie, be sure to visit the fantastically interactive Billie B Brown website and you can read more about author Sally Rippen in this KBR interview.

Title: The Billie B Brown Collection
Author: Sally Rippen
Narrator: Eloise Mignon
Publisher: Bolinda Audio, $19.95
Publication Date: 1 March 2014
Format: CD
ISBN: 9781486210701
For ages: 6+
Type: Junior Fiction