Narrator Laura Hamilton, ALA & more

Laura Hamilton not only narrated the Winnie books, but also many books by Kevin Henkes, including Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Chester's Way and Julius, the Baby of the World from Live Oak Media. She has also narrated books by Judy Blume. We ask Laura about her approach.

Live Oak Media: How do you prepare for your reading?
Laura Hamilton: I read the book first to get the big picture and full story. My second, third and fourth readings (or however many are needed) are strictly for the characters. I mine out all the clues I can find that tell me more about each character so I can find the right voice for them. Once I have character voices in my head (and scribbled notes everywhere), I start reading the book out loud for familiarity, pacing and flow. I often look like a total crazy lady in various public places (like parks and soccer games) talking to myself in a variety of voices. I'm sure people wonder why I can't try "silent" reading as an option.

LOM: How did you go about creating the voice for Winnie?
LH: When something is written well, it is easy to hear the character's voice in your head because all the clues are on the page and the dialogue has a rhythm that is true to that particular person. Winnie's feelings and fears are so universal and recognizable that my own "younger" self found her easily.

LOM: What are the biggest challenges in narrating?
LH: I think making all the various characters distinct enough while keeping them realistic can be a challenge. And the more characters there are, the more there is to keep track of. It can turn your mind into psychotic scrambled eggs if you let it.

LOM: Do you have a favorite story to share about narrating?
LH: My first reading came about when Judy Blume lost her voice and reluctantly agreed to let me read her piece from Deenie while she stood next me at Steppenwolf in Chicago. She also mentioned that she really enjoyed reading her stuff HERSELF. I nervously asked her if she would like me to read it so she could direct me and she politely said no. What a bunch of jitters that was but it started my career in the biz!
Then there was the time I showed up for a narration job having had food poisoning ALL NIGHT - dehydrated and sipping ginger ale, occasionally burping!!

LOM: Any tips for parents or librarians reading a book during story time?
LH: Well, being a bit dramatic already, I tend to believe in fully investing yourself in any story. It's fun, it's engaging for others and it's what I imagine the author would like us to do.

LOM: How do kids react when they know you're the voice of Lilly or Chester?
LH: A second grade boy I saw the other day told me he listened to Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse with his family. He said it was REALLY cool and they loved the whole recording. And though it's nice to feel the admiration from a young person, I think kids like discovering even more that a regular person can do something rather wondrous and that in turn makes them think about their own ability to interpret and perform a story they love, or perhaps try something else they had not considered before.

If you have more questions for Laura or our other narrators, email us.