David Francis Birchman

Brother Billy was one of my oldest's favorite read-alouds, and my wife insisted that I be the one to do the reading as often as possible, because she said I managed the phrasing and accent best. (I thought I was merely adequate; for best effect, I think it needs to be read with a Ninth or Tenth Ward accent, which I can't do.)

The narrative's rhythm is a bit jazz-like itself; it switches from loosely stressed rhyme to free-verse improvisation and back throughout the book, and the hints of Creole ghost story save it from being saccharine. I'm not sure that O'Brien was the absolute best person to illustrate it, but even so, his saurians dressed in their brightest Downtown Sunday best are engaging.… (mais)