New Reviews: Children

Andrea Davis Pinkney showcases her praise poem to Toni Morrison with a practiced delivery, addressing her subject as "you" throughout. Pinkney is gentle in describing Morrison's youthful love of letters; she deepens her voice as the future Nobelist gains confidence at Howard University. Her voice swells with pride as Morrison conquers the literary world as an editor and writer... Read More

Rachel Yong's slow, thoughtful delivery reflects the format of this novel in verse. After having been the only Chinese student at her Montessori school and enduring a year of distance learning during the pandemic, Emily Sofer did not expect that transferring to a school in Chinatown for eighth grade would leave her feeling more alone than ever. But when she falls in love with... Read More

Elaine Wang deliberately presents this endearing story in which a Chinese American girl shares the details of her New Year celebration. Listeners meet Meimei as she and her family prepare for the Lunar New Year. Wang's Meimei dutifully describes her family's customs and rituals: sweeping the old year from the house, using firecrackers to scare away the previous year, and using... Read More

Jia wants to help with the family's Chinese New Year celebration in this holiday story superbly narrated by Stephanie Sheh. Her unique voicing of each family member adds liveliness when they tell Jia that she's too young to help this year. Jia's disappointment is palpable after each rejection. But Sheh infuses joyous energy in Jia when she finds herself under the dancing lion... Read More

Warm music welcomes young listeners who are preparing to light their menorahs--and any children curious about the meaning of Hanukkah. Emily Lawrence narrates this sweet children's audiobook with a bright and engaging voice. One story features a family gathering to share food and celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with their loved ones. Informative text explains Yiddish and... Read More

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld portrays 12-year-old Marta, who is traveling home to Germany with her father on the British ship LUSITANIA in 1915. Maarleveld's delivery reflects the pair's need to disguise their German accents to avoid the other passengers' suspicion that they're German spies. When the ship is torpedoed by a German U-boat, Maarleveld delivers heart-pounding scenes... Read More

Wes Anderson flawlessly portrays the prestigious C.C. Cecily, senior secretary of the Fairy Tale Fan Club. Cecily encourages kids to write to and get replies from beloved--or reviled--story characters. As delivered by Lydia Fox, Sleeping Beauty's yawn-filled commentary is sleep inducing as she describes her "exciting" life with the Prince. An 8-year-old asks Humpty Dumpty,... Read More

Narrator JD Jackson's enchanting gravelly voice is an inspired match for this roller-coaster ride of an audio. As a young medium in a family of magic workers, Theo Tatterly considers himself up to any ghostly challenge. But when a terrifying hag appears during a field trip and his aunt has a premonition of doom, Theo finds himself tested to his limits and fighting for his life.... Read More

Narrator Amy Hall sensitively recounts this children's story. Twelve-year-old Wren's mom is one of many Indigenous women who have gone missing in Oklahoma. Channeling her desire to find out what happened to her mother, Wren volunteers at an animal shelter, finding lost pets and working on other cases involving animals, and, ultimately, one involving a friend. Hall portrays Wren... Read More

Hannah Van Der Westhuysen narrates this beautifully crafted biography, which captures the wonder of Jeanne Villepreux-Power's life. Born in 1794 to a dressmaker and a cobbler, Jeanne spent her childhood watching her parents transform scraps into something remarkable. Eventually, she became an acclaimed seamstress herself. However, her deepest passion lay in nature, particularly... Read More

The warmth of Shamaan Casey's baritone surrounds listeners just as words envelop young James Baldwin in this biography. Quartez Harris's text shifts between a straightforward account and an ecstatic celebration. Casey navigates these tonal transitions with ease, expressing "Jimmy's" fascination with language in occasional meditative recitations of words and phrases. Sorrowful... Read More

Ruth Wison's narration of this children's classic gives listeners an alternative to the previous full-cast version. In 11-year-old Lyra's parallel version of Oxford, human souls take the form of lifelong animal companions called daemons. When her friend Roger is taken by child-snatchers known as Gobblers, Lyra's quest to bring him back leads her to a tribe of seafarers,... Read More

Author Emi Watanabe Cohen narrates her second novel, a story of Jewish identity and magic. When Faye's estranged Jewish grandfather sends her older brother a lump of clay for his bar mitzvah, the gift propels the two kids into an adventure in Jewish history and culture. Listeners will assume that this is a conventional middle-grade fantasy, but it turns complex and dark about... Read More

Caitlin Kelly brings authenticity to her narration of this heartwarming debut middle-grade novel. Dee and Juniper were inseparable until sixth grade, but now they're in different classes, and Juniper seems to have found a new group of friends. Feeling isolated, Dee often hides in the bathroom, especially after an embarrassing incident with her mother. It's there she hears... Read More

The third book in the Witchlings series, delightfully narrated by Cyrina Fiallo, sees friends Seven Salazar and Thorn Laroux searching for a cure for their best friend, Valley Pepperhorn, who has been turned to stone. As "spares" of Ravenskill, the girls have less magic and power than traditional witches. And as the tension between spares and witches escalates, spares begin to... Read More

Every second of this dynamic production--from the bouncing notes of the opening theme to the last snapped finger--creates a musical soundscape. Narrator Karen Murray's sweet and steady tones guide the listener through a history of Black music told in rolling lines of poetry. Murray moves seamlessly from the talking drums of Africa through the origins of the blues, jazz, funk,... Read More

Singer-songwriter Randy Preston gives voice to and plays music for the third book in this "how to" series. Opening with guitar music, Preston then provides a nuanced, emotional performance of the text. Speaking with energy and varied volume, pacing, and pitch, he encourages kids to listen to sounds all around them, feel the music inside them, and let it take control as it goes... Read More

Magic-loving young listeners have a new world to explore. With a crisp English accent and a spirited performance, Ell Potter invites listeners into this middle-grade adventure. Eleven-year-old Meticulous (Metty) has been afraid of her own fate ever since her magical tattoo predicted she'd become a murderer. When her father disappears, Metty is desperate to find him. As she... Read More

Author Cornelia Funke narrates an introduction that reviews the previous books in this complex multi-world fantasy series. Then narrator Allan Corduner takes over, expertly delivering Funke's dark storytelling style. Corduner's deep and emotive voice conveys the dread of Dustfinger, the Fire-Dancer, and his companions as they maneuver to thwart the plans of Orpheus, a vengeful,... Read More

Lyrical music accents this poetic, poignant audiobook, which begins as Falasteen seeks to find her family's country on a map and finds she can't locate Palestine. Narrator Dalia Ramahi voices the girl's confusion, which leads her to speak to family members. Ramahi evokes her grandfather's steadiness as he draws an image-laden map, giving life to various locations. Ramahi reads... Read More

Elizabeth Wiley narrates this short biography of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, an early champion of the Florida Everglades ecosystem and author of the groundbreaking book RIVER OF GRASS. Douglas was born in 1890 and lived for 108 years, working as a journalist, writer, and conservationist. Wiley's narration of her story, which includes numerous quotations, evokes a sense of the... Read More

This audio adaptation of a cross between a Lemony Snicket story and an Enid Blyton story makes for an engrossing middle-grade adventure. Comedian and author Kate McKinnon shines at voicing the three Porch sisters as they end up in mad scientist Millicent Squibb's etiquette school after having been expelled from all alternatives in Antiquarium, where attendance in etiquette... Read More

Daniel Henning zestfully introduces a busy dog shelter's diverse inhabitants. Listeners meet Mouse, who lives there for all the free-flowing kibble but also to befriend and help the most troublesome dogs. Outstanding sound effects, including constant background barking, add atmosphere, as does Mouse's endearing voice and personality. His best buddy, masterfully rendered, is... Read More

Narrator Rama Krishna Vallury charms in this heartfelt audio about when to fit in and when to stand out. Ajay always follows his Sri Lankan parents' strict rules for him: no bad grades, no scary movies, and NO friendships with girls. When a taunt from a popular kid goads Ajay into stealing a chocolate bar with a valuable prize inside, he has to figure out how to get his life... Read More

Shaun Taylor-Corbett's upbeat narration perfectly suits this heartwarming adventure full of drama, Indigenous folklore, and interspecies friendships. When injured Great Grandfather Bat must get from Chicago to Georgia for a legendary animal ball game, he asks Grandpa Halfmoon for assistance. Grandpa agrees, and soon Great Grandfather Bat and adolescent Grey Squirrel are off on... Read More

André Santana narrates this short novel in verse about the power of dreams and finding compassion in one's community. Twelve-year-old Onyx is entranced by space, the stars, and the idea of flying. His daydreams are one of his only escapes from anxiety over his mother's increasing memory loss. Santana voices Onyx in soft, lyrical tones that evoke the verse format without... Read More

First-time listeners, as well as those who once treasured this story, will be thrilled by Sutton Foster's character portrayals. Central to this audiobook's success is Foster's portrayal of Pippi, the quirky 9-year-old who moves in next door to Tommy and Annika with a horse, a monkey, no parents, and wild stories. Foster's narration crackles with dynamic vibrancy when it comes... Read More

Like chef José Andrés, the subject of this picture-book biography, this audiobook is the perfect blend of excellent ingredients. Soft Spanish guitar throughout reflects Andrés's background. Sound effects like sizzling dishes accent events in Andrés's life. Luis Carlos de La Lombana's narration has an emotional tone that encourages listening. He combines a skillful integration... Read More

Narrated by the author, this charming original story reveals that Santa himself never celebrated Christmas until one year when a gruff, growly polar bear pointed this out to his elves. They decide to treat Santa royally and help decorate his house for a holiday celebration--complete with gifts delivered by the bear, who is dressed in red and growls a deep-voiced "ho-ho-ho."... Read More

Rachanee Lumayno performs a whimsical tale that features Spella, a young orphan who is being raised by her Aunt Cauldroneyes. Spella spends her days discovering how to make magical hats and learning about the magical creatures that live around her cottage. But when a mysterious man arrives and abducts her aunt, Spella must go to Dragon's Knob, a magical school, to get help to... Read More

Native voices resonate in this account of the infamous American Indian boarding schools. Ojibwe poet and activist Denise K. Lajimodiere delivers her foreword, and Ponca author and filmmaker Dan SasuWeh Jones narrates his introduction. Then, Blackfoot actor Shaun Taylor-Corbett takes the mic to narrate Jones's combination of memoir and history. Four generations of Jones's family... Read More

Julienne Irons returns to narrate this entry in Kevin Henkes's Miller family stories. New first-grader Sal finds herself with a major case of teacher envy when her best friend is assigned to a different classroom with a charismatic, young teacher, while she's condemned to spend the year with a grandmotherly woman who calls her Sally. Henkes writes in short, declarative... Read More

Jemar Tisby's experience as a teacher and public speaker, including his "Pass The Mic" podcast, is evident in this clear, compelling narration of his own work. A companion piece to his book THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE, this collection shares stories about dozens of people who followed their faith to seek justice and pursue the dignity of all people. Tisby's stories are concise and... Read More

Catherine Ho's thoughtful delivery is ideal for this enchanting story contrasting Eastern and Western dragon mythologies. Listeners meet an Asian American boy whose mother's storytelling introduces his dual heritage. The boy's grandmothers become involved, too, and Ho never missteps in portraying each woman's gentle and loving voice. The Western grandma describes a dense forest... Read More

Anna Fikhman's melodic Ukrainian accent briefly sets the scene of a close-knit family. Twelve-year-old twins, outgoing Dariia and quiet Rada, live in Mariupol with their parents. Rapidly Fikhman plunges listeners into a sleep disturbed by the 2022 Russian attack, which separates the family and hurls Dariia and her mother into a world she couldn't have imagined. Fikhman excels... Read More

Jennifer Jill Araya thoughtfully introduces this 1980s semi-autobiographical story. Listeners meet 12-year-old Cayenne, who's delighted when her nomadic hippie parents rent a house that permits her to finally go to an actual school and make friends. After her mother has twins, she must help out at home while her pot-smoking dad, a Vietnam vet, and her mom scrape money together.... Read More

As he narrates this production's opening, a brief glossary, Navajo educator, artist, and actor Roger Willie's tone and accent establish its setting. He then begins the story with a gripping portrayal of Cody, a Navajo boy who wakes up feeling thirsty. Whether Willie is delivering English or Dineh, listeners hear Cody's increasing anxiety as he finds all the community water... Read More

Min is messy and chatty and spontaneous but, out of nowhere, she develops a stammer that changes her life. Not only does the audio format sound entirely appropriate to illustrate her struggle to produce language, Aiofe McMahon doubles down on that advantage, with her lovely Irish accent and expressiveness ensuring that all the characters teem with life. Min's sister, Bea, is... Read More

In a lilting voice, narrator Christopher Hampton captures the hope and curiosity of Will, a young Black boy who is hoping to claim land during the Oklahoma Land Rush. Will's companions include his stern father and their mule, Belle, and later the gentle but wizened ex-Union soldier, Caesar. Southern accents, including Will's, and twangy cowboy voices enhance the historic... Read More

Teen Ukrainian American actress Sofia Sanchez's halting, uneven narration is quickly explained by her self-description: "I have Down syndrome . . . and I want to inspire people and make a difference." Her narrative is yet another representation of the amazing things she's accomplished because of her bravery. The audiobook gives apt life lessons on not having to be perfect,... Read More