SPARK

Narrator Eevin Hartsough's youthful voice lends whimsy to the fantasy world of Alorria, where "storm beasts" and their human guardians control the weather. Twelve-year-old introverted Mina can't wait to become a guardian and change the world in her own way, but when her egg hatches and a lightning beast named Pixit emerges, everyone thinks it's a mistake. Lightning guardians are not timid and quiet like Mina. Overcoming her self-doubt, Mina embarks on an adventure no one ever expected. Hartsough conveys the cheerfully noisy chaos of Mina's large family; the bubbly, innocent love for Mina in Pixit's chirpy voice; the brash pushiness of the other lightning guardians; and Mina's own thoughtful courage as she discovers how to use her voice to advocate for others. S.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019]