New Reviews: Children

Narrator Ramon de Ocampo captures Gideon Quinton's transition from obedient grade schooler to independent middle schooler. Speaking aloud, Gideon sounds gentler, more compliant than the often questioning, sarcastic, or annoyed tones de Ocampo uses for Gideon's thoughts as he pushes the tight boundaries set by his parents. While Gideon is the main character, his peculiar... Read More

Narrator Kate Reinders's youthful voice is perfectly suited to fifth- grader Emma, who is starting public school for the first time after being homeschooled. Lonely and worried about fitting in, she befriends Jack, an autistic boy in her class. Reinders gives Jack a gravelly, flat monotone that differentiates him from the neurotypical kids as he and Emma bond over stories of... Read More

Author Padma Venkatraman narrates her own work, displaying the depth of feeling and caring between 11-year-old Viji and her 12-year-old intellectually disabled sister, Rukku. They flee an abusive home only to face new vulnerability in the city of Chennai when their money is stolen and they must live on the streets. Venkatraman describes the developing bonds as the sisters form... Read More

Narrator Dion Graham's calm, confident voice takes middle-grade listeners through an introduction to a turbulent time in American history. Henry Gates and Tonya Bolden's title is a clear and lucid primer to America at the end of the Civil War, during Reconstruction, and up to the beginning of Jim Crow segregation. The audiobook version omits the many documents included in the... Read More

Combining an approachable style with an unhurried pace and occasional character accents, narrator Michael Yurchak captures the voices of the American soldiers who landed at Omaha and Utah Beaches during WWII. Deborah Hopkinson provides a sweeping exploration of D-Day, the massive Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. The text is broken into sections, such as the... Read More

When 13-year-old fox spirit Min learns that her brother, Jun, has gone missing from his post in the Space Forces, she abandons the backwater planet of Jinju and embarks on a dangerous quest to find him. With her shape-shifting abilities, magically persuasive "Charm," and clever tenacity, Min is a compelling heroine. Kim Mai Guest's youthful narration grounds listeners in Min's... Read More

Narrator George Newbern's genial tone imparts warmth and kindness to this story of a town that has seen better days and a wishing well with the power to change lives and mend relationships. With impeccable consistency and an easygoing pace, Newbern evokes the atmosphere of a place out of time, complete with mysterious deathbed wishes, a failing family business, and even a jewel... Read More

Potterheads, rejoice! A thrilling musical score and behind-the-scenes interviews on the making of the latest film in author J.K. Rowling's magical world will spark interest in this audiobook from Muggles everywhere. With a jocular, fast-paced narration, Dan Fogler is the perfect tour guide to the movie set, where he chats up set designers, builders, costume designers, and the... Read More

Narrator Rosalyn Landor reprises her roles as Jaundice and Kate, and creates a host of new characters in this third audiobook in the Bland Sisters series. The sisters are flying from Morocco to Egypt to uncover the mysteries of a magical scarab. Foiling multiple attacks along the way, they also discover the true history of their parents before being reunited with them. Landor's... Read More

Narrator Jayne Entwistle elegantly portrays an adventuring rockhopper penguin and her companions--animal and human. Freya, the penguin, is inspired to travel by her avid reading of HINTS TO LADY TRAVELLERS AT HOME AND ABROAD (a real book). She settles into the basket of a hot air balloon that three 1897 Swedish explorers are hoping to land at the North Pole (a real historical... Read More

Narrator Jesse Vilinsky presents a relatable heroine with palpable emotion in this intimate and authentic portrayal of a young teen's recovery from anorexia. Vilinsky reads at a fast clip, embodying 12-year-old Riley's nervous tension as she begins a two-month stay in a treatment program that includes group therapy. Each of the girls in the group has a distinct voice, making it... Read More

With youthful immediacy, Imani Parks narrates this slice-of-life story about a smart, well-behaved seventh-grader named Shayla. Shay hopes to avoid trouble as she navigates typical middle school rites of passage such as first crushes and shifting social dynamics. But after attending a Black Lives Matter protest with her family, she begins to consider her African-American... Read More

Narrator Josh Hurley creates an emotional voice for a middle school student who puts on a brave face at school but is actually struggling to stay afloat due to his tumultuous homelife. Jeff's mom has become increasingly dependent on alcohol. When she eventually loses her job, she's unable to pay the rent, and she and Jeff become homeless. As Jeff takes on adult... Read More

Author Edsel narrates with the urgency the Monuments Men themselves must have felt as they hurried to locate art stolen by the Germans during WWII. Edsel focuses on eleven men and one woman who traveled in Italy, France, Belgium, and into Germany itself to locate works of art stolen from museums and private collections and to plan the restoration of buildings of cultural... Read More

The opening tuneful measures set the beat as author Eric Litwin narrates his second audiobook about Groovy Joe--the "song-singing, tail-wagging party of one!" But this dog is not alone for long. With each new knock at the door, Litwin's precise and enthusiastic voice welcomes guests to Joe's disco party. Each knock, knock foretells the number of guests at the door and begs for... Read More

Author Grace Byers's graceful narration conveys the message of living life to its fullest, with confidence and resilience. Her poem for children is composed of similes such as "Like a tree, I am here to grow" and draws comparisons between the beauty, majesty, and purpose in nature and in ourselves. Inspiring courage and intentional living, Byers relishes the lyricism of... Read More

In the audio version of this picture book for young readers, a poor little porcupine who just wants a hug asks for one from her forest friends. Everyone is too afraid of her prickly spines to give her the cuddles she needs. Narrator Ramón de Ocampo gives unique voices to Porcupine and her animal companions. Whether exclaiming over the idea of snuggling with a porcupine or... Read More

Delanna Studi narrates two scary stories in this middle-grade collection: "Skeleton Man" and its sequel, "The Return of Skeleton Man." Molly, a modern-day Mohawk girl, is sent to live with her creepy great-uncle after her parents' mysterious disappearance. But she knows something is not right. The spooky traditional Mohawk tales her father used to tell her about the Skeleton... Read More

Narrator Janina Edwards's words take listeners to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. As Martin Luther King and the city's citizens plan a peaceful protest, it is the children who step forward to march without the repercussion of job loss. Listeners will walk with a young protester as she encounters hate, police dogs, and several days of jail. Edwards deftly expresses her fear but... Read More

Narrator Kathleen McInerney delivers all the heavy tween emotions writer Anne Ursu serves up in this empowering story of magical realism for middle grades. Fifth-grade twins Iris and Lark feel lost when they are placed in separate classrooms for the first time. Outspoken Iris tries to define herself while worrying that no one will stand up for sensitive Lark. McInerney paints... Read More

Kyla Garcia returns to narrate the second book in the Love Sugar Magic series. Spirits are running loose through town, and Leo and her family must round them up and send them back behind the veil. Garcia's reading sparkles with energy and fun--from the warm tones and Hispanic accents of the adults and the fast-talking Spanish of the spirits to the Texas accents of Leo's school... Read More

Young Lulu, the tantrum-throwing spoiled heroine of the Lulu series, has met her match in narrator Michele O. Medlin. Loud volume, check. Irritating and grating timbre, check, check. Whiny tone, elongated to annoyance, check. Imperious and know-it-all attitude, yes and yes! Medlin handles them all. As the production opens, Lulu's parents have just shocked their daughter with... Read More

Alisa, Rosi, and Brian Amador narrate a sweet story of connecting across a generational and language divide. Mia's "far-away" grandmother has come to live with Mia and her family. Alisa's youthful and earnest voice tells listeners of Mia's struggles to talk with her abuela who is narrated in Spanish by Rosi. Neither Mia's Español nor abuela's English is strong enough for them... Read More

Vibrant music plays as narrator Vikas Adam begins to tell this collection of tales from India. Adam smoothly transitions from the strong and consistent voice of the narrator to the impactful dialogue of the characters, including the young Prince Veera. When the story opens, the prince is just starting to understand how to be a fair and just ruler with the grace and wit of a... Read More

A full cast brings a ton of energy to this audiobook. The recording booth must be an exciting place for narrators who are portraying a medieval troubadour turned into a goose, a bumbling magician, a dastardly younger brother to the king, the king himself, a sorceress, and a band of young knights. Will these enthusiastic newbies to knightdom be able to return the kingdom of... Read More

Narrator Robin Eller brings a straightforward tone to this Young Reader's biography of Ona Judge; the adult version was a finalist for the National Book Award. Ona is Martha Washington's enslaved maid. In that role she travels with the Washingtons to Philadelphia, the seat of the U.S. government, prior to her escape to New Hampshire and subsequent life as a free woman. Eller... Read More

Jordan is full of anxiety at the start of seventh grade, and this full-cast audiobook production of Craft's graphic novel gives a peek into his life. Loving parents played by Robin Miles and Guy Lockard encourage Jordan to give his new private school a try, and as Jordan gets caught in a whirlwind of new classmates, listeners hear young voices bouncing off the walls. Jordan,... Read More

Four narrators bring to life an unusual rural school in Vermont. When legendary prankster Paulie Fink doesn't return for seventh grade, his classmates miss him so much that they hold a contest to name the next great Paulie Fink. The new girl, Caitlyn, acts as organizer and judge. Narrating from Caitlyn's perspective, Cassandra Morris engagingly carries most of the performance,... Read More

Nick Offerman's dry narration highlights the humor and irony in Rhett Miller's 23 short poems. Offerman's low tone adds debonair mischief to funny observations about child-related matters such as the fantasy of sibling rivalry run amok in "Brotherly Intentions." He captures the pace and pitch of children's voices as they longingly and loudly plead their case for pet ownership... Read More

Narrator January LaVoy whisks listeners into Levine's magical world in this companion novel to ELLA ENCHANTED. With warm and joyful tones, LaVoy introduces heroine Evie, a young healer practicing her valued trade from her mother's house. Wormy, Evie's closest friend, who assists in her practice, is characterized with a voice that holds both endless knowledge and refined wit.... Read More

Narrator Maxwell Glick plays up the gross humor in the latest middle-grade novel from the author of AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS. Liam strives to find the perfect balance of attitude and actions to achieve total coolness in fifth grade, but his younger sisters seem to destroy his chances at every step. Glick packs the voices of the children with character: Liam's awkwardness,... Read More

In a sweetly luminous tone, narrator Cassandra Morris brings forth the wonder of Lloyd's latest magical tale. Morris's youthful voice communicates the goodness of 12-year-old Mallie, who toils ceaselessly to support her destitute family. The family lives high on Forgotten Mountain, a place once suffused with starlight and dreams but now clogged with dusty despair. Times are so... Read More

Christopher Gebauer's narration aids in making the opening scene of this audiobook believable. A butler shows up on the doorstep of 12-year-old Carter Jones on the chaotic first morning of a new school year. Gebauer gives a proper British accent and proud attitude to the portly gentleman and to Carter's mockery of the butler's manner. This is only the first implausible... Read More

Narrator Nancy Wu expertly conveys Peasprout's hilarious snarkiness and spunk in the sequel to PEASPROUT CHEN: FUTURE LEGEND OF SKATE AND SWORD Traditional Asian music introduces the audiobook before giving way to an original pop song, presaging the blending of worlds in this Asian-inspired fantasy. Entering her second year at Pearl Famous Academy of Skate and Sword, Peasprout... Read More

Actor Rainn Wilson displays his vocal talents with an enchanting performance of this imaginative classic children's novel. An introduction read by the author sets up the tale of Milo, a child who is always bored with life's offerings, and his adventures through a magical tollbooth to the Lands Beyond. With an engaging delivery, Wilson succeeds in captivating listeners. Soothing... Read More

Cheerful music starts off this audiobook prequel introducing pre-chapter-book listeners to the porcine wonder Mercy Watson. Mercy, the Watsons' irresistible pet piglet, is well known from Kate DiCamillo's award-winning early chapter book series, and this origin story reveals how she came to live at Deckawoo Drive. Narrator Mark Bramhall conveys the gentle humor and charm of the... Read More

Khristine Hvam's narration is as heartfelt as the story of 12-year-old Coyote Sunrise. As Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, crisscross the country in a refitted school bus in search of the next delicious meal or some other particular delight, they avoid the heartbreak that befell them five years earlier. All this changes with one phone conversation, and a cross-country trek against... Read More

The story of Chaya Lindner's defiance as part of a Jewish resistance group in Nazi-occupied Poland will grip those who listen to this action-packed historical fiction. Jesse Vilinsky's narration features a commanding, rebellious tone as Chaya smuggles people from ghettos and terrorizes military targets. Vilinsky is also nimble enough to be tender and emotive when describing the... Read More

Actor Matthew Gray Gubler ("Criminal Minds") brings his children's story to the listener's ear with exuberance. Imagine a creature with five crooked teeth, three hairs, and a big left foot who lives underground near a rain drain. He only comes above ground by moonlight disguised under a banana peel, furnishes his home with the dregs found in a garbage can, and fashions a friend... Read More

Narrator Anthony Rey Perez dives in and out of English and Spanish, giving this audiobook the ambiance of Cuban-American culture. He skillfully interprets the mix of realistic and fantastic events and maintains the fast pace of this compelling listen. He is outstanding at portraying hero Salvador Vidon, a magician with a secret. Since his mother died, Sal has created tears in... Read More

Following up SHE PERSISTED with this new collection of biographies, Chelsea Clinton introduces listeners to a group of 13 international women who have shaped history. She narrates her own words in a measured tone with deliberate emphasis on the refrain, "she persisted." Included are the familiar contemporary figures J.K. Rowling and Malala Yousafzai, as well as scientist Marie... Read More

Ushered into story time by a melodic piano piece, young listeners soon encounter narrator Nikki M. James, whose voice takes on charming, strong, and informational tones throughout the audiobook. With each page, James introduces a new historical figure, highlighting each woman's perseverance in a brief paragraph followed by a well-known quote. In addition to James's narration,... Read More

Narrator Ramón de Ocampo makes this quirky, sometimes bizarre audiobook touching by giving 11-year-old Sam a likable but acerbic tone. Seven years ago, Sam fell into an abandoned well, but now "Well Boy" has other problems: He's the youngest kid in eighth grade, his father doesn't understand his passion for cooking, and 14-year-old James Jenkins wants to murder him. The story... Read More

Narrator Channie Waites captures the pain, struggle, and ultimate triumph of a New York slave named Isabella, who later became known as Sojourner Truth. With precise, clear diction, Waites delivers the dramatic story of Isabella's fight for her and her son's freedom, emphasizing the impassioned quality of Schmidt's evocative prose. Waites uses distinct timbres and cold tones to... Read More

In this compassionate audiobook, three students in a class, Emma, Jason, and Jesse, portrayed by Frankie Corzo and Ramon de Ocampo, find ways to make three three newcomers feel welcome: Maria, portrayed by Ruth Livier; Jin, portrayed by de Ocampo; and Fatimah, portrayed by Ariana Delawari. Thoughtfully, each of the original students tries to connect with one of the newcomers:... Read More

Iris, a 12-year-old deaf girl, prefers American Sign Language to speech, but listeners can still hear her every thought and sign. This is thanks to Abigail Revasch, who expressively narrates Iris's ASL conversations and mental musings. Iris struggles as a deaf girl in a mainstream school, often feeling isolated. When she learns of Blue 55, an unusual whale that sings at a... Read More

Narrating in flat tone with somewhat bumpy pacing, Talitha Bateman inhabits Aurora "Rory" Franklin, who is sure she's weird. The kids at school certainly think so, and her mother thinks so too--although a bevy of psychologists have declared Rory to be "quirky, but not on the spectrum." This stand-alone follow-up to Weeks's well-loved SO B. IT explores Rory's feelings about her... Read More

Senator and presidential candidate Kamala Harris reads her own work, which features everyday family and friends as superheros. Harris enthusiastically describes her earliest supporters and inspirations and kindly poses questions about who in young listeners' own lives champions them and their dreams. Harris is not a seasoned narrator, of course, but her earnestness is fitting... Read More

Narrator Lisa Flanagan's calm, uniform voice matches the tone of this sensitive story about two 12-year-olds who are navigating a new friendship and difficult emotions. Amelia's mother died when she was a baby, and her father is still emotionally distant and grieving. An artist, Amelia finds sanctuary is a nearby clay studio where she meets a kindred spirit in the owner's... Read More

Narrators Imani Parks and Cassandra Morris capture the attitudes of two 12-year-olds who begin an email friendship as their fathers form a relationship. Parks voices the personality of Bett, a self-confident, risk-taking California surfer girl. Morris's portrayal of Avery is tentative, fearful, and bookish. Both narrators reflect the girls' awareness that their fathers have... Read More

Lively Spanish music sets the scene for this South American adventure. Narrator Rebecca Soler introduces Coco, a bilingual 13-year-old who works in her mother's chocolate shop. When she and her former best friend, Leo, win a trip to the Amazon with their mothers and adoptive grandfather, Gali, listeners hear her excitement. Soler's young-sounding voice contrasts with the deep,... Read More

Narrator David Tennant returns for this sequel. He gives each character a voice so distinct that this audiobook is comparable to a full-cast production. The wizard Xar practices dark magic--but at what cost? The warrior Wish has innate magical abilities, skills that are unheard of among her people. Xar and Wish set out on a quest to rid their land of witches, an act they... Read More

With even pacing and a down-to-earth tone, narrator Jennifer Jill Araya vividly portrays 13-year-old Rachel in the summer before eighth grade. Her longtime best friend, Micah, wants more than just friendship, but Rachel isn't sure if she is attracted to boys at all. Listeners hear Rachel's confusion, frustration, and pain as she comes to terms with her changing friendship with... Read More

Narrator Kivlighan de Montebello's youthful voice brings authenticity to the coming-of-age struggles of 11-year-old Riley. His mother has vanished, and Riley hopes to find her with the help of the Whispers she has told him about. De Montebello depicts the innocence and shame of Riley's two "conditions." He struggles with a recent incident of bed-wetting and with his preference... Read More

Narrator Jeff Cummings uses a matter-of-fact tone to share the history of The Whydah, a pirate ship that was recovered from the depths of the deep off Cape Cod, where it sank centuries ago. Cummings keeps listeners on edge by maintaining a quick pace while describing the day-to-day operations of the ship, the politics that ruled the sea, and the adventurers who chose this... Read More