New Reviews: Children

Employing a subtle use of pitch and accent, narrator Johnny Heller differentiates the voices of a wide array of characters in the opening volume of a planned fantasy-adventure series. When a group of young people are conscripted into the dreaded Adventurers Guild, they learn just how dangerous it is to protect Freestone, one of the last cities standing against the monsters... Read More

America's seventh president remains a controversial figure in our country's history. Narrator Pete Cross capably represents the dichotomy inherent in Jackson's personality and beliefs as the author offers a mixed but largely critical view of Jackson, particularly with regard to his inhumane treatment of Indians. Cross delivers a powerful recitation of Jackson's own words,... Read More

In alternating chapters, narrators Nora Hunter and Rob Dircks share the mysterious relationship between a girl and her once-upon-a-time zombie-like playmate. Livy has returned to visit her grandmother in Australia, her first visit having been as a 5-year-old. Bob has been waiting for her in the closet, having entertained himself over the years with Legos and a dictionary.... Read More

Narrator Colleen Prendergast deftly transports listeners to St. Rita's School in rural England where eccentric teachers and librarians rule and girls battle each other physically and verbally. Troublemaker Daphne Blakeway is surprised to be invited to attend the school since she's been expelled from numerous other institutions. Even she is shocked at the vicious girls she... Read More

Narrator Stephanie Foxley does much to dramatize the setting and characters of this story. Alberto is the principal carpenter and coffin maker in the small Italian town of Allora The widower's family died three decades before he discovers a starving, distrusting 10-year-old boy, Tito Bonito, and the colorful bird that follows him. Alberto takes the boy into his home and heart... Read More

Just as he has been for the previous two audiobooks in Riordan's Trials of Apollo series, narrator Robbie Daymond is wholly in sync with Apollo's voice. Trapped in the body of a mortal, powerless teenager, the god arrives in California, where drought and wildfires are a result of an underground maze burning with an unearthly flame. While there are flashes of Apollo's old godly... Read More

Will Ropp's restrained narration captures the personalities of small- town Polish boys caught between opposing Russian and German forces during WWI. Avi's bleak novel exposes the brutality of war, not only among nations but also among the village boys who succumb to the bullying dares of Jurek, who will do anything to obtain the best button and rule over them all. Patryk, the... Read More

Temple Grandin herself narrates her introduction, which explains the roots of her success: the single-mindedness and unique way of seeing that are part of autism and her childhood habit of "making things." If she had narrated the entire book, her voice might have begun to grate; not so with Ann Richardson's narration of Grandin's engaging, witty, thoughtful ideas. Richardson... Read More

This empowerment book, which encourages girls to increase their self-confidence, is based on the authors' adult book on the same topic. Sandy Rustin, who also narrates the adult version, expertly gives personality to a text that could easily seem staid. Skilled in her craft, she creates a conversational yet educational tone while delivering tips to encourage self-confidence.... Read More

The stock market crash was only the beginning of America's descent into the Great Depression. This audiobook's chapters detail its causes, remedies, and the people most responsible for both. Narrator Oliver Wyman's slow pacing and selective emphasis allow for easy listening of a story punctuated with contemporaneous quotes and headlines, including a powerful account of the... Read More

Ocean sounds, military marching music, and the booms of torpedoes place listeners right in the middle of WWI submarine warfare. Just in time for the 100th anniversary of the end of the war, this audiobook describes how Norman Wilkinson and a team of artists (including women) "dazzle-painted" British ships with brightly colored patterns to confuse the German U-boats. Narrator... Read More

This exciting middle grade audiobook, the first in a planned trilogy, is sure to please fans of Amie Kaufman's young adult fantasy oeuvre and to create a new generation of younger fans. In a commendable performance, narrator Johnathan McClain creates distinct voices that make Kaufman's diverse characters come alive. Twins Anders and Rayna have spent their lives, whether in the... Read More

The whole family will enjoy listening to this fast-paced Dickensian adventure set in nineteenth-century Great Britain. The story centers around a mute, orphaned pickpocket who goes on the journey of a lifetime when he is hired as a publicity stunt to ride an elephant from Edinburgh, Scotland, to Manchester, England. Kerr adds mystery, double-crosses, danger, and intrigue to... Read More

Applegate's new fantasy series has a fascinating cast of characters, and narrator Lisa Flanagan does justice to each. Byx may be the last of her species. When she views the site of her family's slaughter by human soldiers, Flanagan portrays her shocked horror and palpable loneliness. But she gradually builds trust as an unlikely band of travelers becomes family. Flanagan aids... Read More

Nick Podehl's dynamic narration is well suited to the nonstop action of Canfield's middle-grade fantasy. The character of Ethan is introduced at a baseball game--his lack of athletic prowess makes him seem like an ordinary boy. But when Ethan gets home and discovers a glowing green puddle of light on the stairs, he falls into a world filled with dragons and danger--a world he... Read More

When their small plane crashes and the pilot dies, four children are stranded alone in the Amazon jungle. Thus begins an exhilarating and sometimes harrowing old-fashioned adventure that comes beautifully, vibrantly alive on audio. Narrator Peter Noble is utterly convincing as Fred, Con, Lila, and, especially, 5-year-old Max. With subtle variations, Noble gives them all... Read More

In the final story about boy-genius Frank Einstein, award-winning author Jon Scieszka and popular illustrator Brian Biggs narrate with kid-friendly warmth and humor. Frank, along with his human and robot friends, researches various concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math to study the universe and save Grandpa Al, who is stuck in another dimension. Meanwhile,... Read More

Taking listeners back to the fictional Town Around the Bend, singer and narrator Bill Harley shares stories about its residents, including Skeezy Boofer, Swing the Gate, Melody Rimshot, and many more. As Harley transitions between stories, listeners are treated to both musical interludes and sometimes entire songs that complement the tales. While the musical elements throughout... Read More

Little listeners who love to explore their world will have fun with narrator Christina Moore's lively portrayal of two friends looking for adventure. Neither can agree which is better, exploring the sea or roving in space, so they split up. Colette dives down in her submarine, and Garcia rockets off into space. Moore's narration lets listeners hear their initial amazement and... Read More

In a stirring narration, Miles Harvey brings to life an American story that is chillingly familiar. When 12-year-old Jerome is killed by a police officer, he becomes a "ghost boy" alongside Emmett Till and other boys killed due to racial injustice. Jerome's perspective shifts between being dead and alive, though in both states he's a careful observer of life and the living.... Read More

Buy this audiobook for yourself and for the young people in your life. The stories, expertly read by a cast of fantastic performers, are inspiring, moving, and empowering. Each biography is about two minutes long and introduces a rebel woman from ancient history to modern times. Some are household names (Jane Austen); others will be new to listeners (astronomer Wang Zhenyi).... Read More

Paul Fox's lively narration sparkles in this funny retelling of the Snow White story. Dwarf Borlen (a.k.a. Grump) was part of the original story, but over the years humans changed it and forgot the dwarves' real names. This is Borlen's first-person account of the actual events. The seventh dwarf on an underground mining crew, he has an odd fascination with the human world that... Read More

Listeners begin their journey by learning about how the French built the Statue of Liberty and then gave it to the United States. Almost halfway through the story, a new narrative begins as the focus shifts to "her right foot" and the author asks listeners to think about why Lady Liberty appears to be in motion, where she is going, and the connection these details have with... Read More

Narrator Rupert Degas's thoughtful delivery is perfect for these short--3 chapters each--stories, each of which begins by announcing 7-year-old Jack's mood. In "The New Friend," Jack, who is Australian, sounds grouchy because his friend is on vacation and he's left with his dad. The loving relationship between father and son is apparent in their conversations after they find a... Read More

This audiobook introduces listeners to Maud Montgomery, a much more complicated woman than the L.M. Montgomery they know as the author of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. Maud was plagued all her life by depression, unsupportive relations, and legal difficulties, finding relief in education and her writing. She is one of Canada's most successful and celebrated writers. Susan Hanfield's... Read More

Narrator Sarah Jane Drummey vividly brings to life the beautiful yet devastated landscape of Ireland during the Great Famine of 1845-49. The soft tones and inflections of her native Irish accent conjure a rich air of authenticity that make the events of the story all too real. Young Lorraine loves her family and friends deeply and will do anything she can to protect them.... Read More

Narrator Krystel Roche's Caribbean-inflected voice delivers this poignant coming-of-age tale, which transports listeners to a sunny, sea-splashed world. Caroline, a dark-skinned 12-year-old, is the story's central narrator: born on Water Island (in the Virgin Islands) during a storm. Since the day her mother abruptly disappeared, Caroline has been living with her father in a... Read More

This steampunk novel melds history and a mystery-packed adventure. Polly Lee energetically narrates the story of George, the third Lord of Devonshire, who believes he has bad luck because he is an orphan. It seems like anyone he gets close to dies. When his priceless family heirloom, a map to the hidden gemstone called the Star of Victory, is stolen, he is joined by a young... Read More

Herrera is at once a wise teacher and an anxious new U.S. poet laureate. The listener must write a poem, he thinks. Herrera is eager to help while he walks his dog, Lotus, and heads to DC's Library of Congress. This is no passive listen--it's an experience! There are sound effects as you learn to jabberwalk. Herrera's excitement guides the jabberwalking--gathering inspiration... Read More

Narrator Erin Cahill's character voices extract maximum emotion from this scrapbook of receipts, video transcripts, emails, and texts. Twelve-year-old Claudia uses her collection to tell the story of her father's disappearance, its titanic impact on her family, and the treasure hunt he left behind. While time stamp details, addresses, and long lists add realism to the print... Read More

Bahni Turpin perfectly reflects the youthful voice of Tash in her narration. Tash has always relied on two people, her Uncle Kevin and her neighbor, Cap'n Jackie. When she's sent to camp for a month, she has a lot of fun, even though she initially didn't want to go. But when she returns, Cap'n Jackie is gone. The story follows Tash as she tries to bring her back using the key... Read More

Laura Ortiz's narration of this timeless tale is a treat for listeners of both English and Spanish languages. Her singsong voice with its gentle tone fits perfectly with the lyrical story of a princesa who is put to the test by a protective mother. Ortiz flawlessly voices La Reina, El Príncipe, and La Princesa, seamlessly moving from English to Spanish as the plot swiftly... Read More

Narrator John McDonough's resonant voice eloquently expands the observations that award-winning author Cynthia Rylant shares with young listeners in her tribute to the natural world. Listeners will hear about the small beginnings of life, the myriad things to love and protect in every habitat on earth, the circular nature of life, and the importance of waking up and embracing... Read More

Narrator Dion Graham draws listeners into this quirky tale set in the mysteriously off-kilter town of Carousel. Eggers tries his hand at engaging younger listeners, and Graham aids him greatly in that effort, breathing life into the central character, Gran (short for Granite), and his new pal, Catalina, who enter a secret underground world and seek to shore up Carousel. Graham... Read More

Narrator Channie Waites turns Tami Charles's protagonist into a flesh-and-blood teen full of doubts, humor, and grace. In New Jersey, in 1983, Vanessa is a wallflower who dreams of following in the footprints of Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss America. She enters a pageant at her middle school--despite feeling too fat, too dark, and too shy--and compares the cost of... Read More

Fiona Hardingham narrates the final Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place audiobook with exuberance, charm, and impeccable timing. Hardingham honors the atmosphere created by original series narrator Katherine Kellgren but adds her own unique style. She captures governess Penelope Lumley's despair while trapped in a dreary Russian village and watching over dreadful children,... Read More

Strap on your boots and get ready for another adventure with the Lumberjanes! Narrator Amanda Leigh Cobb delightfully portrays a wide range of characters, including rambunctious campers and moon mice. Each member of Roanoke cabin is distinctly voiced, and listeners will love hearing their favorite campers come to life. This adventure sticks mostly to the campgrounds and focuses... Read More

Narrator David de Vries enthusiastically champions Family Fun Day at the library. The special attraction is a magician--full of tricks and an uncanny ability to match young readers with books related to their intended professions. In de Vries's booming voice, full of bravado, the magician invites audience members to reach into his hat. Each member delights in the revealed book.... Read More

The early life of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is narrated in first-person poems by Thom Rivera, each one depicting a vivid snapshot of his childhood. Through his family's struggles with debt, young Miguel finds solace in his daydreams of a brave knight named Don Quixote who rides out on his steed to right the wrongs of this "terribly mixed-up world." Sounds of... Read More

Ana Isabel's youthful narration creates a convincing picture of innocent 12-year-old Lucy. At 8, Lucy was struck by lightning and transformed into a math genius and germaphobe, but she's far from gifted in the ways of friendship. Aside from her uncle and grandmother, she prefers virtual relationships. Narrator Isabel affects an older, caring voice for Nana, who has raised and... Read More

Who can resist the smell of freshly baked bread? Certainly not author/narrator Mo Willems, who has had the tantalizing experience of living beside a bakery in France. With enthusiasm and anguished pauses to savor the fragrance, Willems and family members Cher and Trixie detail Nanette's lucky day. This is the day that she has been granted her longstanding wish to purchase a... Read More

In 1947, political and religious upheaval divided India. Millions of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs crossed the border into what is now Pakistan, fleeing sectarian violence. Narrator Priya Ayyar's Indian accent adds authenticity to this historical story in which Nisha and her Hindu family must leave their home in Pakistan due to the unrest. Ayyar's modulation changes little but... Read More

Kate Rudd's narration embraces the longing of 11-year-old Gusta. In 1941, her German-born father, a union organizer, has fled government agents, and her mother has gone to work in New York City, leaving Gusta is in the care of a grandmother she's never known. Rudd expresses the pride and cruelty of the people, young and old, in the small Maine town where Gusta's grandmother... Read More

When ghosts on the island of Nantucket rise up to defend their homes from a greedy developer, a group of children works tirelessly to help the townspeople understand the dead's wishes. With bright, firm tones and stirring intensity, narrator Alison Edwards dives readily into Balliett's haunting prose. Her compassion and enthusiasm shine in her portrayals of the characters: the... Read More

This heartwarming tale about Paddington, the bear from "darkest Peru," is reminiscent of all of his adventures over the years. This audiobook follows Paddington through many different stories, including those that focus on a cooking show, gardening, and helping Mr. Gruber celebrate his birthday. Each of the seven stories holds just as much whimsy and wonder as Michael Bond's... Read More

In assured, inquisitive tones, Cherise Booth unfurls a clever middle-grade mystery featuring intriguing characters and a town with a challenging history. When Candace moves to Lambert, South Carolina, for the summer with her mother, she uncovers a letter containing a puzzle and a request for the reader to right a decades-old wrong against a young woman and her family. Booth's... Read More

Penderwick fans will be saddened yet satisfied by Susan Denaker's narration of the series' final book. The crispness of her narration conveys the old-fashioned feeling of the close-knit family's reminiscences. All the siblings and many other characters return, but the focus is primarily on 11-year-old Lydia, the youngest. She is a first-time visitor at Arundel, the estate in... Read More

Narrator Cassandra Morris's youthful voice contributes to the lighthearted tone of the first book in a new series. The seven quirky, capable Problim siblings are left alone while their parents are off on an archaeological expedition. Morris handles their individual identities and capabilities as easily as the children deal with the explosion of one home and the move to another,... Read More

The difference between an ordinary athlete and a champion often comes down to attitude and inspiration. Gabra Zackman engagingly narrates this wide-ranging collection of stories about high-achieving women in a variety of sports--Venus and Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Carli Lloyd, and others. Zackman has a pleasant, conversational tone while relating the events of these... Read More

Narrator Lisa Flanagan's quiet, gentle voice invites listeners to tune in to all the happenings in Rosetown, Indiana, in 1972. Nine-year-old Flora is facing change all around her--with new, confident students in her fourth-grade class, with the death of her beloved family dog, with changing friendships, and with shuttling between the homes of her newly separated parents.... Read More

Jennifer Kim narrates this touching story about a seventh grader who is grappling with a parent's mental illness. For her science class, Natalie has two year-long tasks: deciding on and implementing a research project and regularly writing in an observation journal. The journal employs the scientific method and provides the framework for the audiobook. For her research project,... Read More

Sisters Alix and Jools set off with their parents on a week-long summer vacation at the ocean. Narrator Brittany Pressley captures each sister's personality perfectly. The family rents a house for the week from Mrs. Kerr, who lives upstairs. Alix and Jools have some wonderful adventures, including going to the beach, collecting sea glass, and making new friends. Pressley voices... Read More

Wily Snare is a trapsmith for the dungeon Carrion Tomb. It is his job to create and maintain traps to keep treasure seekers away from the vault. He also believes that he is a hobgoblet who will melt if his skin is exposed to the sun. However, a fateful encounter with three misfit treasure seekers will change the way he sees himself and the rest of the world above. Nick Mondelli... Read More

The day Bert Brown finds that the fluttering in his chest isn't a heart attack but the wings of a small angel is the start of something wonderful. Bert and his wife, Nancy, take in Angelino, the angel, and Nancy enrolls him at the school where she works. Author David Almond's narration is the highlight of a story demonstrating that all people can grow and learn to love when... Read More

Dion Graham's narration elevates this fascinating true story with a message for kids to be bold, courageous, and unique. The audiobook describes the history of the Golden Gate Bridge, including the process of developing and approving its design, transporting its steel across the country, building it, and debating what color to paint it. Eggers's writing is informative but also... Read More

Sunil Malhotra narrates the story of a boy named Neel who lives on an island in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal. He is preparing for an exam that could win him a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But when a tiger cub escapes from the town's nature reserve, he decides he is going to do anything he can to find and save it. The audiobook follows Neel as he tries... Read More

Author and narrator Jeffrey Kluger is passionate about NASA's 1968 Apollo 8 mission to circle the moon and about sharing this feat with listeners. The result is a captivating audiobook featuring lead astronaut Frank Borman and his fellow astronauts, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders. Listeners will hear about the tension of preceding the Russian cosmonauts on this route, the myriad... Read More

Narrator Andrew Eiden's slow pace and soft tone perfectly depict the character of 12-year-old Mason Buttle. The rhythm in Eiden's narration captures Mason's storytelling voice, which is punctuated with the periodic refrain, "I'll tell you what." Listeners will be captivated by Mason's sincerity and gentleness. Eiden's low-key inflections suggest these shining qualities as Mason... Read More

Narrators Abigail Revasch and Tara Sands reprise their roles in this silly sequel to SQUIRREL MEETS THE WORLD. Doreen Green is trying to navigate friendships, homework, mean teachers, and the complicated social norms of middle school life. Meanwhile, her alter ego, Squirrel Girl, must uncover a sinister plot involving the new mall in town. Revasch's Squirrel Girl is perky, and... Read More

For the second time, narrator Christopher Gebauer animates the character Waylon, a fourth grader who is sensitive and "science-y." The sequel begins soon after the first audiobook ends. Waylon is struggling to save "Dumpster Eddy," the stray dog he's come to love. To prevent Eddy from being sent to a distant shelter in just 10 days, Waylon enlists the help of his classmate,... Read More

Little listeners are welcomed back to the wonderfully chaotic world of Winnie and Wilbur by returning narrator Amy Enticknap. Children are sure to enjoy this collection of stories about a well-intentioned yet clumsy witch and her extremely opinionated cat. Enticknap voices each of her characters with clarity and wit, marking Winnie with innocently high-pitched excitement and... Read More

Amielynn Abellera narrates the story of a tumultuous week in the lives of two middle schoolers. Deftly moving between their voices in alternating chapters, Abellera excels at capturing the nuanced emotions of Ben, age 11, and Charlotte, age 12, two smart kids who connect as long-distance online Scrabble competitors. Already facing middle school problems such as best friend... Read More