Carefully selected ambient sounds combine with Fred Berman's deliberate narration as this audiobook and accompanying picture book tell the story of the inaugural performance of composer John Cage's 4'33"--in which a pianist sat at his instrument for four minutes and 33 seconds without playing it. Biographical passages about Cage alternate with the "concert" itself. The papery... Read More

Five talented narrators knit together the stories of five children from different countries who settle in the same Lower East Side apartment building. Listeners meet Jenny Epstein, author Weinstein's grandmother, whose Russian Jewish family lived in the building in the 1910s and whose story is sensitively told by Eva Kaminsky. Successive generations include Italian American... Read More

As Harriett Foy guides listeners through the city at night, her voice is as warm as the sunny yellow interior scenes that contrast with the surrounding nighttime blues in this picture book. Its central character is a child of color who is going to bed as nighttime activity is carried out by a diverse group of adults with a variety of occupations: a nurse (the child's father), a... Read More

In this picture-book read-along, narrators Andres Munar and Lewis Touna take listeners on a tour of garden bounty. Miguel, a boy of color, seeks sunflowers to adorn a garden party. Munar first describes a sunflower's key attributes and then a sequence of fruits and vegetables, each sharing one similarity with sunflowers. Miguel, portrayed by Touna, asks, "Is that a... Read More

Tavia Gilbert skillfully narrates this dark tale featuring two sisters in long-ago Poland, based on an 1862 poem by Christina Rossetti. At the market, beautiful, outgoing Minka is enchanted by Emil, a goblin disguised as a handsome boy who offers her forbidden fruit. Lizzie, Minka's sister, is smart, frank, and likely autistic. After eating the fruit, Minka falls sick.... Read More

Talented children's author and educator JaNay Brown-Wood narrates this delightful story with the capable assistance of her daughter, Vivian Autumn Wood. In an interactive question-and-answer format, the story follows a young girl, Amara, and her canine companion in a quest to find pumpkins on the family's farm. Brown-Wood describes the pumpkin's unique characteristics and then... Read More

Abetted by a peppy ukulele score, six-year-old narrator Lucas Towne treats kids to a romp in the park with a pack of flea-ridden pooches while teaching them how to tune a ukulele. In author-illustrator Barner's energetic scenes, the fleas appear as clouds of dots surrounding the dogs, who make merry havoc while a ukulele-playing child chases after them. Lucas Towne brings gusto... Read More

Fermentation expert Sandor Katz’s hearty voice punctuates Lori Prince’s overall narration of this picture book. It’s a biography of Katz, who moved to a “community of queer folk” in Tennessee in search of a healthy life after his HIV diagnosis. He has become famous for his recipes for fermented foods. The titular “tiny wild”—the microbes that make the culinary magic—swirl as... Read More

A few notes of birdsong create the perfect prelude to this heartwarming story, beautifully narrated by Katie Schorr and George Guidall. In the midst of birdcalls, fluttering wings, and other environmental sounds, a girl remembers her grandfather’s passion for birds and for sharing that joy with his grandchildren. The older man’s relationship with her family—particularly his... Read More

A cacophony of musical instruments, dynamic illustrations, and John Beach's animated narration create a joyful celebration in this audio-visual treat for the senses. In a city neighborhood in which music is the only form of communication, Drum, who doesn't have a song or a melody, feels like he can never fit in. But once invited to play with the other instruments, Drum realizes... Read More

A full-cast production adds excitement to this story based on actual royal intrigue and murder in fifteenth-century England. The cast of five enhances the scenes, allowing the listener to hear lively conversations and bustling London streets. Moira Quirk excels as commoner Nell Gould, an unlikely lifelong friend of Prince Ned and his sisters. Quirk's emotions always ring true;... Read More

Lauren Ezzo gives a wholehearted performance of this sweet and summery middle-grade novel, immersing listeners in Loah’s world. Eleven-and-a-half-year-old Loah (named for an endangered bird) is a homebody, but home isn’t as comforting as it used to be. Her house is in disrepair, and the elderly Rinker siblings, who are taking care of Loah while her mother, an ornithologist, is... Read More

Author Tony Medina pays tribute to legendary musician, poet, and activist Bob Marley in this outstanding production narrated by Jaime Lincoln Smith. Nesta Robert Marley's life, from his impoverished childhood in Jamaica to his untimely death at 36, is explored in a collection of 17 free-verse poems for young listeners. Smith's Jamaican accent and spot-on delivery animate the... Read More

Young listeners will love exploring Paris and getting caught up in a lively mystery with Julieta. Narrator Adriana Santos voices the 9-year-old, capturing her contagious enthusiasm. She thrills at the chance to join her father on his work trip to transport art from the Louvre to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Her father, portrayed by Ramon de Ocampo, provides a calm... Read More

Love for the traditions and culture of the Hawaiian people is evident in this audiobook, which includes the voices of three narrators from the Aloha State. Traditional music, sound effects of laughter and lapping waves, and Hawaiian words transport listeners to the countryside as a family prepares the poi for a traditional farm-to-table luau. With a slow pace and quiet tone,... Read More

A full cast of Cherokee, Navajo, Choctaw, and Chickasaw narrators deliver a moving audiobook companion to an informative picture book. Listeners hear an introductory history of Native Nations in North America, and then a bustling classroom preparing for their Indigenous Peoples' Day assembly. Twelve students recite brief presentations in youthful voices as sound effects and... Read More

This concise audio biography is a special tribute to acclaimed writer, poet, and Civil Rights activist Maya Angelou. Narrator Cherise Boothe's beautiful, clear voice evokes Angelou's spirit and embodies the power of the spoken word. Boothe's tone and pacing are genuinely engaging, creating natural pauses that encourage listeners to reflect on the significance of the author's... Read More

Narrator Sarah Zimmerman captures the wonder in this middle-grade mystery set against the backdrop of a traveling circus. Mattie's family, the Marvelwood Magicians, are traveling performers whose talents--mind reading, fortune-telling, even invisibility--are entirely real. The Marvelwoods never seem to fit in, but when they join Master Morogh's Circus of Wonders, all that... Read More

The rumble of train tracks, warm twangs of a banjo, and soft humming set the scene for this children’s audiobook tracing one family’s journey north during the Great Migration. Narrator Shayna Small embodies Ruth Ellen, the young Black girl who is escaping life on a tenant farm for a new life in New York. Shayna’s voice reflects Ruth Ellen’s mingled anxiety and joy at making the... Read More

Shabazz Larkin delivers a lively and joyful audiobook companion to his picture book all about appreciating bees. Larkin narrates with warmth as he describes the important role that bees play in pollinating plants and making a picnic's worth of fruits grow. Legend and Royal add giggles, yelps, and exclamations, while Ashley Larkin's bright voice narrates headings and labels.... Read More

Dion Graham’s skilled narration and singing, along with lively music and vibrant sounds of the city, transport listeners to the neighborhood of Tremé in New Orleans. A young Trombone Shorty ponders what it takes to be a good bandleader of his 5 O’Clock Band. Graham creates a high and youthful voice for Shorty. Listeners will discover valuable universal messages as Shorty seeks... Read More

Thomas Moran, a fifth-grade Michigan boy who is left to navigate a difficult home situation after his mother's disappearance, is beautifully portrayed by Tavia Gilbert. Thomas's mother had been a shut-in, due to her depression. When Thomas comes home from school to find out that his mother has gone away, both he and his father are left floundering. Thomas is guided through his... Read More

Narrators Everest de Montebello and Marc Thompson provide a young knight with a youthful voice and a large ogre with a deep and gravelly voice in this examination of children’s perception. At the beginning of the audiobook, the characters confidently inhabit their own sides of a brick wall. As the story unfolds, things are not exactly what the knight thinks they should be.... Read More

The sounds of crickets, a crackling campfire, and music greet listeners as five narrators share the meaning of the term “otsaliheliga,” a Cherokee word meaning “We are grateful.” Each narrator lends a unique voice to the story, complementing the diverse contemporary Cherokee families who are depicted celebrating every season. Cherokee pronunciations are beautifully delivered to... Read More

Tara Sands and Wendelin Van Draanen share the narration of the eighteenth and final mystery featuring Sammy Keyes. As the audiobook begins, super-sleuth Sammy lies in a coma after having been pushed from a balcony by a mystery assailant. In a heartwarming tribute, Sammy's family and friends come together to find out who did this and why. With Van Draanen delivering the... 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

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

Listeners travel back through time to explore the life of Harriet Tubman, guided by four African-American narrators. Lisa Renee-Pitts, Bahni Turpin, January LaVoy, and SiSi Aisha Johnson narrate in turn to describe Tubman’s voice rising in protest as a suffragist, the heroics of General Tubman, the secrecy of her work as a Union spy, all the way back to her childhood as a slave... Read More

Narrator Dion Graham has the clear diction and steady pacing that makes listening to this information about wildfires a pleasure. His voice is full of interest in the topic. Do you know the components of a "fire triangle" or who comprise "hotshot crews"? Or why a bobcat might race to the edge of a wildfire? Can you name the three types of wildfires and the tools needed to fight... Read More

Narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson shares the rhyming and rhythmic fun of family and friends who are filling Grandma's house to the gills. As relatives and guests arrive bearing turkeys and biscuits, lemonade and cheesecakes, sweet potato pie and cantaloupe in ever increasing numbers, it's clear that a solution for the gathering is desperately needed. Who will craft a plan? Johnson... Read More

Brian Amador’s narration, space-age music, and a multitude of sound effects come together fantastically in this audio and picture book pairing about the life of sound artist Juan García Esquivel, known as “Esquivel!” Listeners learn of Esquivel’s childhood and love of music, and all the ways he discovered to imitate the world through sound. The audiobook is perfect for children... Read More

As the story begins, narrator Nancy Wu catches listeners' attention with her emphatic, "No spinach!" Clearly, young Sylvia does not care for spinach dishes. And wouldn't you know it--when her class gets a classroom garden project underway, Sylvia is the one in charge of the spinach. She grudgingly follows directions but grows despondent as everyone else's seeds sprout. Will she... Read More

Vibrant L.A. will leap into the minds of listeners in this audio homage to Korean-American chef Roy Choi’s path to street food stardom. The accompanying picture book’s illustrations are eye-popping, and Los Angeles-based graffiti artist Man One’s narration has a style all his own, especially his rap delivery of the book’s short cooking poems. Co-author and co-narrator June Jo... Read More

Join author and narrator Jane Yolen as she walks up and down Bird Hill. Freshly and crisply she describes what she sees--first a tree and then a trunk, a branch, a twig, a bird, and finally an egg-filled nest. She piques listeners' curiosity with additional tidbits culminating in the hatching of the egg. Yolen's voice suggests genuine pleasure in her ramblings and excitement... Read More

Narrator Tavia Gilbert portrays the spunky and independent Piper Green with enthusiasm and drama. As Piper and the entire Peek-a-Boo Island community await the annual potluck dinner onboard the SEA STAR, she's thrilled. This year she'll joyfully be serving pecan pies and not mashed potatoes, her family's usual contribution. Or will she? Gilbert voices Piper's mercurial ups and... Read More

Author-narrator Marilyn Singer and narrator Joe Morton transport listeners of all ages into the world of Greek mythology with this collection of reverso poetry--poems that can be read top to bottom or bottom to top. Each work imparts a different meaning depending on the direction of the reading. Ponder whether Pandora or Zeus might be responsible for the release of the contents... Read More

Narrator Tara Sands establishes a girlishly pitched dramatic voice for young detective Sammy Keyes, who follows her mother and her mother's boyfriend to "Sin City" to try to keep them from eloping. Along the way, Sammy runs into an entire cast of characters, including her best friend, Marissa, and her worried mother; her soon-to-be stepsister (and arch nemesis), Heather; her... Read More

Music featuring a single trombone precedes Dion Graham’s narration of this picture-book autobiography by "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, a New Orleans native and Grammy Award-nominated musician. Then, the first words of the audiobook—“Where y’at?”—greet listeners with an energetic New Orleans welcome. Graham draws listeners of all ages into an experience that’s lyrical in word,... Read More

Leave it to Tavia Gilbert to provide a narration that enriches this story of friendship, disagreement, and resolution. With three distinct voices for the three friends--a high-pitched bird; a gentle, growly voiced bear; and a low-pitched, slow-to-speak snail--Gilbert invites young listeners on a day's adventure. Boom prefers an outing to the beach with flippers and a tube;... Read More

Listeners will settle in for a Halloween-focused teeny tiny woman story that is not too frightening while being a whole lot of fun. Narrator Elisabeth Rodgers quietly yet firmly emphasizes the words "teeny tiny," and her descriptions of the howling of the wind and the darkness of the house have a scary edge to them. With each repetition, Rodgers builds suspense through her... Read More

Nancy Wu's clear and precise narration suits this nonfiction pre-reader. Her pacing is deliberately slow (but not overly so), and she leaves long pauses for young readers to take in the photographic illustrations. In simple sentences a variety of monkeys are explored--from the golden lion tamarin and red howler of South America to the mandrill of Africa and the snow monkey and... Read More

Narrator Michael Crouch is energetic as he takes young listeners on a read-along visit to several of the world's well-known snakes. His lively, clear voice underscores his interest in observing a western diamondback rattlesnake, king cobra, boa constrictor, sedge viper, and an Arizona mountain kingsnake. His measured pace allows time to hear the information on each snake and... Read More

Narrator George Guidall's rich voice is a pleasure to listen to as he captures the majesty of humpback whales traveling in the vast oceans. He sets the scene with drawn-out phrases punctuated by musical and aquatic sound effects. When the whale is entwined in a net of thin threads, struggling to free herself, he alternates his broad narration with clipped and urgently voiced... Read More

Narrator Tavia Gilbert knows how to bring schoolkids and the drama of their interactions to life. Piper Green--a girl who has a Fairy Tree in her yard--is embarking on an imaginary trip to China with her classmates. Right away Piper fibs that, like her friends, she has plenty of experience flying in airplanes. So her classmates decide she should be the trip's flight attendant.... Read More

Narrator Dion Graham has his work cut out for him in this nonfiction exploration of volcanoes for young people. Given that the read-along book itself is full of sidebars, illustration captions, incidental questions (jokes, really), maps, "word blasts" (glossaries), and postcards, Graham differentiates between them all by using a variety of voices from serious to silly. Graham's... Read More

Young, vibrant narrators voice heartfelt concerns as Fatima, Maria, and Jin are each welcomed into new classrooms in a new country. Listeners will hear them wistfully voice their concerns about language fluency and establishing a sense of belonging in their new communities. The repetitive phrasing of each memory of “back home” is powerful. While the pacing of each vignette is... Read More

Author, illustrator, and narrator Christopher Myers celebrates the power of his pen, the pen that has won him Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor Awards. In a gentle but firm voice fueled by his imagination, Myers creates thought-provoking scenes with his pen--from an elephant in a teacup to worries about the wars around the world. This is a pen that creates in the... Read More

Following the opening sounds of gentle rain, narrator Suzanne Toren shares the many snippets of meteorological information that Gibbons presents in this nonfiction title for young listeners. Toren maintains a steady pace and a quietly animated voice as she talks about types of rain and clouds, the water cycle, rainstorms, variations in rainfall in different parts of the world,... Read More

A full cast works together seamlessly in this charming magical adventure. As the story’s narrator, Tavia Gilbert is crisply engaged, and she’s spirited as young Bee, the baker’s apprentice. Kenneth Cavett, with his rich and resonant voice, is a standout as kindly baker Master Bouts, and Robin Miles is a hoot as pirate captain Zafira Zay. The care in the production is... Read More

Narrator Kathleen McInerney manages the voices of many school-age characters, including Poppy, who wants to become a writer ("I will write the BEST paper EVER!") as well as unappreciated Coach Lavender; Mrs. Rose, the firm, calm teacher; and an articulate and evenly modulated narrator. With each class writing assignment, Poppy radiates confidence, which then plummets when... Read More

Narrator L.J. Ganser has as much fun with his narration as Frankie the eighteen-wheeler has when he takes listeners on an action-packed trip. From the opening invitation to "Come along!" to the over-the-top "URRRRNNNT-URRNNT! of the truck's horn, Ganser is full of the sounds and excitement of a trip on the open road. Neither rain--"Wipers, do your job!"--nor a flat tire with... Read More

Given the quiet, purposeful narration of Nancy Wu, heroine Zora takes center stage. In an effort to overcome her summer doldrums, Zora plants 12 free zucchini plants. What will her summer have in store for her now? Wu’s carefully modulated voice and distinct elocution let Zora’s creativity come to the fore. Once the plants are producing, there’s only so much zucchini one family... Read More

This history of black culture performed by a talented ensemble of eight voices is a listening treasure. Cleverly presented in 29 short episodes, the verse and soundscape elucidate a chronological account of events and people who played small and monumental roles in the history of black America—black astronauts, political leaders, business entrepreneurs. Listeners can enjoy the... Read More

Betty Bunny's intense personality and over-the-top reactions make her a handful. With pseudo-innocence, she's smuggled chocolate cake to school in her sock, blamed others for her missteps, and demanded to have every toy in the store. But Betty Bunny's fans will see a new facet of the popular heroine in her fourth adventure. She's not filled with her usual self-assurance after... Read More

Dana Lubotsky Bokor returns to narrate this Amber Brown adventure and is as true to character as ever. Bokor's familiar, childlike voice sounds eager, passionate, and mercurial as Amber navigates her first camp experience. Camp Cushetunk should be wonderful, especially because her best friend, Justin, who moved away, is coming to camp. But it looks like Amber's summer will... Read More

Narrator Tavia Gilbert has the vocal spunk and enthusiasm to keep up with self-proclaimed "motor mouth" Piper Green. With her child-friendly, high-pitched voice, Gilbert is tuned in to Piper and sounds equally excited about each of Piper's various pieces of good luck--from her newly painted lime-green bedroom to a perfect strawberry and a freshly lost tooth. Gilbert's voice... Read More

Narrator Dion Graham's steady, precise voice enables the information in this book about storms to take center stage. With even volume and pacing, Graham highlights the myriad weather patterns that "cool and heat our planet so it is just right for life." Thunder and lightning, blizzards and tornados, sandstorms and monsoons are explained for young learners as well as the... Read More

Tavia Gilbert performs this first-person narration with an enthusiastic high pitch--which is perfect for the eccentric young heroine who lives on an island in Maine and takes a lobster boat to school. Piper is a small girl with big feelings, especially strong since her older brother left for boarding school. Her emotions shift frequently, and Gilbert captures them all,... Read More

Nancy Wu expresses the youth, verve, and mercurial feelings of Uma as she wonders at the number of stars in the huge, cold sky. Gabi Swiatkowska’s illustrations show the small girl dwarfed by the celestial immensity she is just beginning to appreciate. Uma begins a quest to discover what infinity is by asking peers and elders their views. Wu’s narration blends beautifully with... Read More

Tara Sands’s distinctive narration shows a deep understanding of Sammy Keyes, the multidimensional heroine of this series. Sands is attuned to Sammy’s empathy as the young investigator tries to determine whether an eccentric crime fighter in her town is a fake and help her BFFs untangle their relationship problems. Sands’s rich portrayal of Sammy’s bright and inquisitive nature... Read More

Dana Lubotsky is as "in your face" with her narration as Amber Brown is with her thoughts and feelings. Lubotsky is loud, firm, and opinionated--all in a true-to-character way--and very childlike in voice. In this adventure Amber is dealing with her mother's impending remarriage, her father's behavior in the face of the upcoming event, and her classmates' and dear friend... Read More

Narrator Tavia Gilbert animates three unusual friends in a performance that is integrated seamlessly with accompanying music and sound effects. It isn't every day that a bear, a bird, and a snail share a friendship, and it isn't every day that a thunderstorm causes such uproar. Gilbert crafts a voice for each animal that is echoed in the signature music for each creature--a... Read More

MaameYaa Boafo’s rich, warm voice entices youngsters to listen in on the attempts of diminutive Imani to touch the moon. Inspired by a bedtime story about Olapa, the Maasai goddess of the moon, and by her mother’s advice, Imani is determined to “do something great.” Boafo sets a leisurely pace and has a self-assured storyteller’s lilt and cadence. She stretches out words as... Read More

The distinctive cry of an eagle greets young listeners, followed by narrator Wendell Minor's voice detailing the decline in the U.S. bald eagle population in the period of extensive use of the pesticide DDT. As eagles and other wildlife were placed on the Endangered Species list, scientists were desperate to save the national bird. This story of a boy and a ranger who encourage... Read More

Gentle music and the sounds of bear habitats provide the background for this catalogue of bears and their characteristics. Panda and polar bears are familiar favorites, but more unusual bears such as spectacle and moon bears are also introduced. And what bear book for youngsters would be complete without a teddy bear? Tom Stechschulte's leisurely yet purposeful narration... Read More

"Hello! Jambo!" Dion Graham's big, friendly voice brings great enthusiasm to a child's visit to the African savannah. What animals will pass by? What will each animal be doing? From elephants to hippos to lions, the animals involve themselves in activities ranging from spraying to eating and grazing. The simple text and patterned responses to the story's questions will... Read More

Narrator Katherine Kellgren sounds like a stern British nanny--when she tells you to turn the page, you listen! But her tone transforms when she portrays a cast of characters that includes the impetuous Betty Bunny, along with Betty's knowing older siblings, who offer Betty advice, and her sometimes vexed parents, who instruct Betty on the nuances of truth telling. Lying, Betty... Read More

Alice Waters, owner of the restaurant Chez Panisse, is an American chef who is known for creating the “slow food” movement—which promotes the benefits of healthy, organic food to ordinary people. Narrator Laura Hamilton portrays her in a voice that sounds eager and child-friendly. She sounds keenly engaged with Alice’s travels, her love of enjoying fresh, delicious food with... Read More

Listeners are treated to Marilyn Singer’s second collection of folktale-based reverso poems, her own poetic creations whose lines produce whole new meanings when read from top to bottom or from bottom to top. As narrator, Singer is tuned in to sharing the nuances that changes in punctuation, word order, and emphasis bring to the same poetic lines. In “Will the Real Princess,”... Read More

While a narration that is both elegant and playful might sound odd, that’s just what esteemed narrator Barbara Rosenblat brings to this work about 26 women who, on first look, carried out unlawful deeds, but might have had other motives. Considering such figures as Bloody Mary I of England; Bonnie Parker; Belle Starr, spy for the Confederacy; and ancient history’s Delilah and... Read More

Listeners will start grinning from the very first words of this production as narrator Dion Graham and author/artist Christopher Myers talk over each other, jockeying to introduce the story. Two young friends hit the basketball court to play a game of H.O.R.S.E. and trade trash talk—an impossible game that quickly moves beyond the court into the realm of the fantastic and all... Read More

Can you say "red wiggler worms" in a way that no one will forget? Narrator Peter Jay Fernandez can! He brings drama to the inspirational story of former basketball player and MacArthur award recipient Will Allen and his quest to bring fresh vegetable gardening into the urban setting. Cherishing the gardening, food, and friendship of his childhood, Will has a vision of "city... Read More

This is a perfect package—a poetic, educational story combined with beautiful illustrations and an excellent narration. The book features the animals and plants of Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Tom Chapin starts by reading the story, which is enhanced by soft, ear-pleasing sound effects: music from various instruments, wind rustling the native plants, and realistic... Read More

What a treat to have the venerable Tom Chapin narrate this Okefenokee remake of the familiar “Over in the Meadow”! Meet snoozing marsh rabbits, soaring herons, trilling flame birds, and basking alligators, to mention just a few of the marsh’s inhabitants. Chapin is understated and unhurried in his narration. For dramatic effect, he elongates phrases—“Deeeeep in the swamp”—or... Read More

With breathless excitement, Dion Graham sets the cold, windy scene for Gibbons's nonfiction book on the lives of polar bears. The extensive information includes such details as the scientific name Ursus maritimus, physical descriptions, descriptions of habits (swimming up to 40 miles aided by partially webbed feet, for example) and raising young, and the dangers of humans and... Read More

Master narrator George Guidall brings animation and historical solemnity to McReynolds's poem, which details the moon landing of 1969. He speaks each line distinctly with an understated and animated voice, leaving plenty of time between lines so that young listeners can pore over O'Rourke's illustrations and ponder each action of the Apollo 11 expedition. Sound effects are... Read More

Author Gibbons is a master of relating interesting and detailed information about the animal world in both words and illustrations. Each of her books is about a specific creature--this one features owls. Listeners will move back and forth from the auditory input to the visual and then back again. Repeated listens will be needed to absorb all the information, partially because... Read More

From the beginning of this audiobook, which opens with a Spanish glossary and a production guide, Brian and Rosi Amador narrate with enthusiasm, strong articulation, and playfulness. As Tortuga sets off with a supper basket for his grandmother, Iguana, Culebra, and Conejo secretly follow him, eager to have a taste. Will the friends have a chance, or will the conniving Coyote... Read More

Making arroz con leche (rice pudding) requires many ingredients and many helpers. Travel to the farmyard, listen in as the farm maiden cooks in her pot, dance while the cazuela bubbles, and savor the treat. Each ingredient is introduced in English the first time, and each repetition, of which there are many, is in Spanish. Adriana Sananes's leisurely pacing and precise... Read More

Listen in as Betty Bunny comes to grips with one of the important lessons of childhood: One means one even if we WANT more than one. When Mother generously invites Betty and her brothers and sister to select one toy while on a family outing, the siblings manage to make the choices, but then Betty comes along with her shopping cart. Will she be able to make a decision? Katherine... Read More

Narrator Christian Barillas brings the celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) to life, no pun intended. His well-modulated narration sparks interest in the many customs of the three-day holiday. His steady pacing and crisp diction make it easy for young listeners to tune in to the wealth of information. Barillas's own curiosity is evident. Hearing about the many... Read More

How elegantly Mora's exploration of edibles from the Americas plays into the audiobook format! Gabriella Cavallero's narration is elegant as well. For each delicacy--whether it's blueberry, potato, or papaya, to name just a few--there is a selection of factual tidbits (easily glossed over in book format) followed by a haiku. In the audio format, one's interest is piqued by the... Read More

Without a doubt, the moon is a subject of fascination for people all over the world. This collection of poems celebrates the full moon, starting in New York City and traveling to locations ranging from the Bay of Fundy to Israel, Hong Kong, and the International Space Station. Each of the many narrators brings a fresh delivery and a voice reflective of the setting of each poem.... Read More

In the final moments before summer vacation, Mr. Wright's disgruntled class has one more lesson to learn--on suffixes. Leave it to author Robin Pulver to create an experience that any listener will find hard to forget. Narrator John Beach infuses this laugh-out-loud story with delight. His depiction of Mr. Wright is ever enthusiastic, and his students sound typical. The... Read More

[Editors' Note: The following is a combined review of NOUNS AND VERBS HAVE A FIELD DAY and SILENT LETTERS LOUD AND CLEAR.]--Robin Pulver takes young listeners into Mr. Wright's classroom for more escapades with phonics, parts of speech, and punctuation. Listeners will chuckle as they refresh themselves on the powerful relationship between nouns and verbs in sentences (NOUNS... Read More

[Editors' Note: The following is a combined review of NOUNS AND VERBS HAVE A FIELD DAY and SILENT LETTERS LOUD AND CLEAR.]--Robin Pulver takes young listeners into Mr. Wright's classroom for more escapades with phonics, parts of speech, and punctuation. Listeners will chuckle as they refresh themselves on the powerful relationship between nouns and verbs in sentences (NOUNS... Read More

[Editors' Note: The following is a combined review of PUPPY MUDGE FINDS A FRIEND and PUPPY MUDGE WANTS TO PLAY.]--Young listeners have the pleasure of sharing the adventures of Rylant's beloved Henry and his faithful St. Bernard, Mudge, in his puppy years. In PUPPY MUDGE FINDS A FRIEND, Mudge playfully torments a cat buddy. In PUPPY MUDGE WANTS TO PLAY, he desperately tries to... Read More

[Editors' Note: The following is a combined review of PUPPY MUDGE FINDS A FRIEND and PUPPY MUDGE WANTS TO PLAY.]--Young listeners have the pleasure of sharing the adventures of Rylant's beloved Henry and his faithful St. Bernard, Mudge, in his puppy years. In PUPPY MUDGE FINDS A FRIEND, Mudge playfully torments a cat buddy. In PUPPY MUDGE WANTS TO PLAY, he desperately tries to... Read More

Listen in as Iguana's friends--Conejo (Rabbit), Tortuga (Tortoise), and Culebra (Snake)--all try to help Iguana recover from a stubbed toe. "Doctor" Culebra's remedy involves enthusiastic counting from one to ten and much clanging of kitchen utensils. Will Iguana soon be well enough to make her delicious cactus butter dulces (sweets)? With great exaggeration, switches between a... Read More

A chorus of voices welcomes listeners to Walter Dean Myers's and Christopher Myers's meditation on what it is to be American. Poems and quotes are delivered by a talented cast of narrators that reflect the diversity of the United States. Taken together, the words, thoughtful performances, snippets of music and sound effects, and illustrations form a moving and inspiring whole,... Read More

Oh, how Betty Bunny comes to love the taste of chocolate cake! She can think of nothing else—certainly not the fact that she will need to eat a healthy dinner before she can have a piece or that a piece of cake may not fare well during the school day tucked in her pocket. Katherine Kellgren’s elegant voice may be a bit out of place amid the rough give-and-take of the bunny... Read More

When Jazz's pet pig goes missing, she and her sleuthing pal, Milo, consult "The Amazing Zelda," who claims she can read pets' minds for a dollar. Narrators Chantale Hosein and Vinnie Penna splendidly tell the story. Penna is warm and witty with the narrative, and his child and adult voices are alive and real. When thinking is done aloud, his voice becomes dramatic. Hosein... Read More

In the first of the Milo & Jazz mysteries, detective-in-training Milo acquires the able assistance of a new partner. Following the sage advice of super sleuth Dash Marlowe—be an observer on the lookout for anything strange or unusual—Milo and Jazz head to the locker room in search of pitching ace Dillon’s lost lucky socks. Vinnie Penna and Chantale Hosein bring freshness and... Read More

When it appears that Jazz’s new pot-bellied pig has been poisoned, it’s clearly a second case for detectives-in-training Milo and Jazz. This time the advice given by their mentor, Dash Marlowe, is to “look for patterns.” The initial clues point to Mrs. Budge, whose flower beds have been repeatedly disturbed, or class clown Gordy, but could “patterns” indicate someone else?... Read More

When Culebra (Snake) prepares to celebrate his cumpleanos (birthday), Conejo (Rabbit), Tortuga (Tortoise), and Iguana shop together for regalos (presents). Selfish Conejo tricks his friends into purchases that might not be suitable for Culebra, but when he is left out of the celebration, Conejo changes his tune. Brian and Rosi Amador narrate with the impeccable enunciation and... Read More

What a great read-along for the preschool set! In text, Wendell Minor's visit to the farm involves intriguing questions and answers about favorite farm animals, and in his lush illustrations, he creates animals that young listeners will want to reach out and touch. Tom Bodett's rich timbre and distinctive intonation bring an authentic country touch to the story. His emphasis... Read More

Gail Gibbons is known for her ability to bring the nonfiction world into focus for young students. Through pictures, captions, and text, this book provides a window into the world of growing things—including discussion of such topics as pollination, the seed-to-plant process, and a do-it-yourself seed project. Erin Mallon complements Gibbons’s text with a clear, clipped, and... Read More

This biography chronicles the life of Leroy Paige from his elementary school pitching days to his signature slow ball in the Negro Leagues and for the Cleveland Indians and, finally, his inclusion the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Dion Graham narrates at a clip that projects enthusiasm, whether it be for Leroy’s early pitching attempts, his satchel-toting services (that... Read More

What’s a younger brother to do when his older siblings are having all the fun? Jacob, aka Little Pig, would desperately like to don a uniform and play an instrument—piccolo, harmonica, or even tuba—along with everyone else. When he witnesses a practice session, Little Pig figures out exactly how he can contribute. Emily Eiden manages the interplay of narrative and dialogue... Read More

As a day at the seaside stretches before her, a girl savors the beauty around her through each of her five senses—from the salty drops dripping down her face and the shrieks of gulls to the glistening look of tide pools and the squishy feel of wet sand. Sonia Amador speaks with the wonder of a girl who is exploring the beach she loves so much. On both the English and Spanish... Read More

From Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, in 1932, Amelia Earhart sets off across the Atlantic Ocean, not knowing when or where she will land. Burleigh’s vivid text brings to life the story of the first crossing of the Atlantic by a female pilot. Laura Hamilton narrates with precision. Her leisurely pace leaves time to savor the enormity of Earhart’s undertaking, Burleigh’s rich text,... Read More

Amy Rubinate takes ROLLER COASTER to new heights. From the very first moment of waiting in line for a ride to the height check to the decision to ride or not—even at the last minute—to the ride’s bell starting ring to being pulled clickity-clackity up the hill to the glorious moment at the crest . . . Rubinate IS that rider. Her voice resonates with nervousness but then lets... Read More

Before they go camping with the Scouts, Bailey’s older brother and sister tell him he’s too little to accompany them. Now Bailey is down in the dumps. Nothing his parents suggest appeases him—not even baseball or cookies. He mopes until his mom suggests that all the camping activities—from tenting to eating marshmallows—can happen right at home. Katherine Kellgren narrates... Read More

As the two friends Houndsley and Catina delve into canoeing, biking, and swimming, something seems to be hindering their friendship. Houndsley doesn’t care for Catina’s constant chatter in the canoe, and Catina wonders why she’s never had Houndsley’s companionship while biking. How do you say no to a friend or let a friend know that you’re nervous? With the help of two more... Read More

A torn net in the shade of a mango tree. A ball made of a sock stuffed with rags. Bare feet. Does this sound like an auspicious beginning for “soccer’s first star”? In Brazil in the 1940s and 1950s, young Edson do Nascimento left school and, with his young buddies, the “shoeless ones,” practiced moves, challenged older boys, and raised money for uniforms and shoes—all on his... Read More

Christensen’s biography of Django Reinhardt brings this pioneer of jazz to life for young people. Through her poetry, Christensen chronicles Django’s “hard life”—his birth in 1910, his abandonment and early musical days in Paris, his crippling accident, his rebirth and new form of jazz guitar technique, his musical alliances and tours. Narrator George Guidall combines reality... Read More

Jean Craighead George’s words and Wendell Minor’s paintings and narration give an evocative portrait of the impact of the buffalo on its prairie home. The audio begins with peaceful sounds—birds chirping and soft music punctuated by occasional grunts and snorts of buffalo. Then the music turns dramatic, and the sound effects mark the rifles of buffalo hunters, the chugging of... Read More

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review of ANDY SHANE IS NOT IN LOVE and ANDY SHANE AND THE BARN SALE MYSTERY]--Rachel Lillis narrates two Andy Shane adventures with zest. Andy is a boy who makes lists when he has a problem to solve. Here he finds missing binoculars and works himself out of a pickle when his constant companion, Dolores, is bent out of shape by the... Read More

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review of ANDY SHANE IS NOT IN LOVE and ANDY SHANE AND THE BARN SALE MYSTERY]--Rachel Lillis narrates two Andy Shane adventures with zest. Andy is a boy who makes lists when he has a problem to solve. Here he finds missing binoculars and works himself out of a pickle when his constant companion, Dolores, is bent out of shape by the... Read More

Author Marilyn Singer explains that her poetic creation called a “reverso” is a poem that can be read top to bottom and bottom to top with (quite) a resulting change in meaning. In MIRROR, MIRROR, she explores a collection of fairy tales in this fashion. Does Sleeping Beauty like being asleep, and does the Prince like searching for the illusive princess? Is the arrival of... Read More

This audio-and-picture-book combination creates a seamless collage of color and sound, with a vibrant message of limitless dreams. Dion Graham’s confident, enthusiastic narration powerfully depicts a young African-American boy who is beginning to identify who he is in the world. Quincy Tyler Bernstine adds a dynamic array of female voices. No detail is overlooked in this... Read More

Jessica and Ruthie are the best of friends. They build towers, read together, share meals, and mirror each other’s feelings. The only problem, according to Jessica’s parents, is that Jessica is an imaginary friend. What will happen when Ruthie heads off to kindergarten? Katherine Kellgren crafts many voices. As narrator, she is direct and firm and sets a leisurely pace that... Read More

The audio format is a fine enhancement for Gail Gibbons’s nonfiction work. Listeners will especially enjoy poring over Gibbons’s realistic illustrations as George Mazzoli presents the text. Gibbons’s intent is to impart knowledge in both breadth and depth in a child-friendly manner. Mazzoli’s steady, clear narration is perfect for articulating facts about these birds of the... Read More

The first African-American heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Johnson, was born in 1878 to former slaves. When his sisters stepped up to fight for him, his mother told Jack that in the future he must stand up for himself. Dion Graham is the ideal narrator for this endearing yet gritty story. Graham melodiously captures everyone in Jack's ever-expanding world. Jack believed he... Read More

Gibbons’s book celebrates the life, habitat, and migration of the Monarch butterfly, and provides tips for raising one. Bonnie Kelley-Young’s narrative voice is well suited to the subject matter and its audience. Her gentle reading captures the wonder a young listener will have upon discovering the beauty of the Monarch. The sound effects enhance the story and add to the sense... Read More

Tricksters extraordinaire Anansi (a spider) and Turtle are at it again. In this tale, parties are the topic. Fulfilling each of his tasks takes a long time, and Turtle may never arrive to enjoy Anansi’s party. And when Anansi heads to Turtle’s party, she finds it’s a mite difficult to enjoy the underwater event. Jerry Terheyden’s narration alternates between the slow pace of a... Read More

As winter approaches, will Mr. McGreeley share his house with the bunnies who pestered him in his summertime garden? Those who think not are absolutely correct, but these bunnies are hard to outwit! Bunnies appear in his fruit bowl, his chimney, and many other unexpected places. William Dufris narrates grandly, allowing time for Fleming’s wordplay to shine and for Karas’s... Read More

The third chapter book about fourth-grader Winnie and her two best friends has Winnie searching for her special talent. Vanessa has been chosen to be in the high school’s production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Zoe will represent their school in the citywide spelling bee. But what makes Winnie extraordinary? An art contest and John Stewart, her reading buddy, help Winnie find her own... Read More

Diane de Groat packs much about human nature, grudges, and the power of forgiveness into this small book. Excellent narrations by Jason Harris and Peter Rose amplify her messages. Gilbert, a possum-like creature, decides to write mean valentines to kids who’ve been unkind to him; understandably, his classmates are not amused. Young children will enjoy listening and reading... Read More

Lewis's story is based on historical events surrounding the eruption of Paricutin volcano in a cornfield in Mexico in 1943, one of only a handful of times when the birth of a volcano was witnessed firsthand. Pablo's father, who is bored by day-to-day life in the village, gets a surprise one day while farming in a field when he sees a hole open in the earth. Fire and smoke pour... Read More

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review of RAIN, CLOUDS, SNOW, and WIND]--Marion Dane Bauer brings the wonders of weather to the youngest readers and listeners in her Ready-to-Read books, CLOUDS, RAIN, SNOW, and WIND. She respects her audience and in each book provides much to think about. Paula Parker’s expressive narration is paced for young listeners to take in... Read More

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review of RAIN, CLOUDS, SNOW, and WIND]--Marion Dane Bauer brings the wonders of weather to the youngest readers and listeners in her Ready-to-Read books, CLOUDS, RAIN, SNOW, and WIND. She respects her audience and in each book provides much to think about. Paula Parker’s expressive narration is paced for young listeners to take in... Read More

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review of RAIN, CLOUDS, SNOW, and WIND]--Marion Dane Bauer brings the wonders of weather to the youngest readers and listeners in her Ready-to-Read books, CLOUDS, RAIN, SNOW, and WIND. She respects her audience and in each book provides much to think about. Paula Parker’s expressive narration is paced for young listeners to take in... Read More

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review of RAIN, CLOUDS, SNOW, and WIND]--Marion Dane Bauer brings the wonders of weather to the youngest readers and listeners in her Ready-to-Read books, CLOUDS, RAIN, SNOW, and WIND. She respects her audience and in each book provides much to think about. Paula Parker’s expressive narration is paced for young listeners to take in... Read More

In his introduction, author Walter Dean Myers explains that his collection of poems about Harlem was inspired by SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY. The poems in HERE IN HARLEM were made to be performed—listeners hear a chorus of voices from different eras and walks of life, full of joy and sorrow, pride and pain as they shed light on the African-American experience. Thirteen talented... Read More

César Chávez es uno de los grandes héroes en la lucha por los derechos humanos en los Estados Unidos. Su creencia firme que el mundo podría ser hecho mejor a través de la protesta no-violenta ayudó a conseguir mejores saldos para los trabajadores agrícolas. Este audiolibro bilingüe presenta una biografía bastante completa de esta gran figura política. Mientras el lenguaje de la... Read More

La temperatura está bajando en esta noche del desierto, y arriba hay una luna mágica con la música de las estrellas. Es la noche perfecta para una fiesta! Las lagartijas, los armadillos, los pájaros, los peces y los insectos están todos preparándose por una noche llena de familia, amigos, buena comida, música, baile y cuentos. En este audiolibro bilingue y cautivador, las... Read More

It’s the day of Alice’s mother’s important balloon race. Alice would like to be an aeronaut, too, but both her parents tell her she must wait until she’s older. But maybe, just maybe, this might be the day for Alice to witness a race at close hand. Bonnie Kelley-Young’s energetic narration moves at a fast clip, and she’s an eager commentator on the event. Kelley-Young adds... Read More

Based on Gordon Titcomb's song of the same name, THE LAST TRAIN is an elegiac tribute to a different era, when trains rumbled across the countryside and a man could work for the railroads all his life. Titcomb narrates gently, his subtle rural accent appropriate to the text. Authentic background sounds of train whistles and chirping country insects add atmosphere. Wendell... Read More

Some stories shared by parents and children have the power to be remembered long after the loved and repeated tellings or playings are over. THIS JAZZ MAN delights on several levels. The jazzy, snazzy illustrations of the legendary musicians—Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and six others—evoke each personality and his music. The images will capture young... Read More

James and Eamon are visiting Eamon’s grandparents at the beach. Jasper Newell's and Teddy Walsh’s youthful voices capture the everyday lives of the two boys, complete with straightforward opinions (“Food is way better here”) and childlike giggles as they jump on the bed in the downstairs bedroom. Fred Berman pauses regularly to let the jaunty music and sound effects play their... Read More

While sneaking into her grandmother’s seniors-only apartment, the titular 13-year-old sleuth gets the fright of her life when she scares a man to death on the fire escape. With his dying words, the stranger tells Sammy to “get rid of it,” referring to the bundles of twenty-dollar bills stuffed in his pockets. Sammy’s newfound wealth leads her into more trouble than she expects.... Read More

There’s no doubt that imagining flying underwater, singing duets, tobogganing, eating without dishes, and wearing fancy feathers will appeal to children. With this audio they will put themselves into a penguin’s feet and see how life takes on a whole new dimension. The Minors paint a detailed verbal and visual portrait of penguins and include fun facts as well. The production... Read More

This gentle chapter book highlights the challenges and delights of summer camp, where, as Winnie discovers, "you can be someone else for a while." Laura Hamilton's low-key narration explores the consequences of reinventing oneself. For example, Winnie capriciously decides to have her deceased mother become a famous—living—artist. Hamilton has a knack for creating a large and... Read More

Loosely based on the little red hen story, this tale features hard-working Iguana, who is preparing for a fiesta—with no help from her lazy friends, Turtle, Snake, and Rabbit. Brian and Rosi Amador's duet of pleasing voices introduces young listeners to some Spanish words. Rosi narrates and performs the part of Iguana, and Brian becomes the slow-voiced Turtle, perky Rabbit,... Read More

Diane de Groat's story captures the emotional ups and downs of Gilbert and his first-grade classmates on the last day of school. Jason Harris and Peter Pamela Rose combine their craft ably. Their pacing and tone are good, and their vocal characterizations match the written personalities. The teacher sounds a bit like a schoolmarm but could be heard in a humorous light by the... Read More

Louise is not your ordinary chicken; longing for adventure, she travels across seas, participates in a circus, and has her fortune told. Barbara Rosenblat's commanding narration brings Louise's daring nature fully to light. Drawing out the drama of the hen's close call with pirates, her narrow escape from the jaws of a lion, and a daring jailbreak, Rosenblat inflates Louise's... Read More

Andy Russell is an irresistible fourth-grader who loves his pet gerbils (hated by Mom and Sis) and has nice friends, typical problems, and a kind heart. Things take a nosedive when his gerbils get loose, his mom announces that she's pregnant, and he learns that his best friend may have to change schools. Narrator Oliver Wyman gets down to business with fast and spirited... Read More

Third-grader Winnie is a delightful character in this charming chapter book, which captures the joys and tribulations of navigating close friendships while maintaining a sense of individuality. As narrator, Laura Hamilton does a great job centering the story in a young girl's experience and tone, though she's equally capable of depicting adults, such as Winnie's dad and her... Read More

From the opening sound effects of an airplane—“This is your pilot speaking"—this is an engaging recording. What would we do without punctuation marks? Mr. Wright and his class explore this notion as they begin a class read-aloud that has no punctuation. "Thisisweirdthepunctuationismissinguhohwherecoulditbeyikes!" John Beach rises to the challenge of giving each punctuation mark... Read More

Vacation looms for Sammy Keyes. Her friends are leaving town, and she faces a boring summer in her grandmother's apartment. Who would expect that a Girl Scout outing to monitor endangered condors would provide Sammy all the mystery, adventure, and romance she can handle? Tara Sands gives voice to an authentic middle school student, complete with sarcasm, exaggerated syllables,... Read More

Andy Shane is reluctant about attending the Halloween birthday party of his classmate, Dolores Starbuckle. But when his grandmother becomes involved in the party planning and when pumpkins are being mysteriously smashed, Andy is lured in and makes a good friend. Rachel Lillis's narration captures the essence of the young neighbors. As Dolores, she narrates with a bossy edge; as... Read More

George's story follows the life of a wolf pup in current-day Yellowstone National Park. The story entertains while explaining how wolves were reintroduced into the park to reestablish ecological balance after they had become extinct due to a flawed understanding of their role in nature. Wendell Minor, who is also the book’s illustrator, narrates. His voice has a tone of... Read More

How does one deal with a bully? Find an ally! Andy has the best one of all—his Granny Webb is there to support and encourage him while also helping the bossy Delores learn an important lesson. Rachel Lillis narrates with aplomb. She nimbly switches between well-voiced characters, moving the story along at a pace suitable for enjoying its important moments. Lillis reads with a... Read More

When highly sensitive friends—a charming cat and a thoughtful dog—need a narrator capable of expressing each nuance of feeling, they have a champion in Peter Pamela Rose. Houndsley's sadness brings drawn-out words and long pauses; Catina's helpful overtures result in long moments of trembling self-doubt. Ebullient friend Bert, whom Rose voices with high-pitched excitement,... Read More

Narrator Peter Pamela Rose does everything to enhance this gentle story. In three chapters, best friends Houndsley the dog and Catina the cat learn about being true to themselves and supportive of each other. Rose draws listeners into the story with an easy, steady pace that’s ideal for early readers who are following along. Her Catina is appropriately perky and outgoing.... Read More

It’s 1941, and Maddie Beck and her mother live on Long Island while her father, a Navy fighter pilot, is stationed in the Pacific. After Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, Maddie's journal entries reveal her emotional growth. She organizes a club to support the war, and her male best friend slowly, gently turns into a boyfriend. Claire Slemmer has a childlike voice that perfectly suits... Read More

Mr. Farmer is in financial trouble, and the bovine duo Minnie and Moo aim to help. The likable and capable Barbara Caruso humorously narrates the two cows' bumbling attempts to save the day. When Minnie and Moo inadvertently don disguises that transform them into dead ringers for the dastardly bank-robbing Bazooka sisters, mayhem results. But young readers busy enjoying the... Read More

Poor Daisy . . . she's a middle child in a talkative family, and nobody ever listens to a word she says. In fact, everyone in her African-American family speaks for her—from her know-it-all big sister to her kindly but preoccupied parents. Robin Miles does a fine job conveying the frustrations of the soft-spoken child, as well as portraying Daisy's transformation from a quietly... Read More

Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa, was not born a princess. She grew up in a poor BARRIO in Havana, where she lived with her family, went to school, and did her chores just like any other girl. But Celia had a voice that moved anyone who heard it . . . So begins this modern day fairy tale about the life of this flashy salsa diva. Michelle Manzo narrates the story and sings with... Read More

Ralph is a red cat who's more eccentric than rotten. He began life in 1976 as the fictional feline of prolific author Jack Gantos. A Newbery Honor winner (for 2001's JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL), Gantos has written nine beginning-reader adventures for Ralph so far. This one follows the playful talking cat to a fancy-schmancy cat show and a showdown with his cousin, perfect Percy.... Read More

Rim shots, raspberries, and rollicking Keystone Cops music back the narration of this picture-book biography of Mack Sennett, a pioneer of silent-movie comedy. George Guidall brings a nice slapstick rhythm to his very visual narration. The reading and sound effects combine to make the accompanying picture book nearly redundant. As Guidall reads, we see it all on the widescreen... Read More

Warm and welcoming as she opens the story, J.J. Myers draws the listener into Freeman's fanciful world of gray squirrels. Who would think that a squirrel might lack confidence in finding acorns, that a sympathetic human might offer solutions, or that a squirrel-chasing bull would provide the most help? Myers is unobtrusive as narrator, indignant as Mother Squirrel, gruff and... Read More

Este libro ganó la medalla de honor Caldecott, y su versión en español para leer-y-escuchar es muy divertida. Es una combinación de libro y CD. Los efectos de sonido son de alta calidad y van perfectamente con la narración y el texto, incluso añadiendo un toque más imaginativo al cuento. Las travesuras del perro "Willy", la alegría de los niños cuando encuentran al perro en el... Read More

Oliver Wyman's repertoire includes a plethora of familiar school personalities. He shifts effortlessly from the intimidating principal to the goody-two-shoes to the zany student to the high-strung substitute teacher. As Andy Russell, Wyman goes beyond caricature and voices not only his cocky side, but also the maturing side of Andy, who is growing to understand the adults in... Read More

Young listeners will find themselves greatly entertained by this playfully illustrated guide to the life of a little fly. Harry Bliss, illustrator of this popular "diary" series, entertains with both his voice and his drawings. Bliss captures listeners with his falsetto fly-girl voice, and he has fun to the very last words he reads from the back cover of the book's illustrated... Read More

Poor Barney! He's got chicken pox, and it's up to Grandpa Spanielson to distract his “grand-pup” with some anti-itch stories. Narrator John Beach uses his most convincing old-codger voice to conjure up Grandpa, who tells a terrifying tale of a storm that produces a hurricane in the bathtub—along with an octopus. If anyone can make this scenario sound alarming, it's Grandpa—I... Read More

In this early reader series, John Beach does a great job narrating Grandpa Spanielson's anti-itch stories, designed to distract his “grand-pup,” Barney, from his chicken pox. Beach has a pleasant narrator's voice, but it's his Grandpa that steals the show as the kindly old dog spins yarns for Barney's benefit. Whether expressing Mrs. Piggerman's muffled cries for help or... Read More

Every year as many as half-a-million Sand Hill cranes make a famous migration north from Texas, along the Platte River to Canada, Alaska, and destinations as far away as Siberia. Wendell Minor's well-modulated narration gives a fictionalized account of that spectacular event through the experience of a crane named Luck. Music accompanies the entire story, and sound effects... Read More

Amber Brown is very excited about Halloween this year because she's thought up the best costume ever. She hopes her parents' fighting won't ruin it! The heroine of one of the best series for newly independent readers, Amber is animated and likable, and easy for young children to identify with. Dana Lubotsky's reading creates a character who is worried about her parents, smart... Read More

No roaring allowed! Well, sometimes rules need to be altered if there's a very good reason! Normalcy prevails at Knudsen's Library--story hours with attentive youngsters, patrons browsing the stacks and using computers, librarians providing assistance. But then a lion walks through the door. What's normal about that, and how will Miss Merriweather handle the personal and... Read More

This read-along shows how Ben Franklin, one of 17 children in a poor family in Colonial Massachusetts, became one of our greatest statesmen and inventors. Patrick Collins's narration is deliberate in pace as he details the many scientific and literary contributions for which Franklin is known. His expressive narration also takes listeners through the last third of Franklin's... Read More

In this picture-book-and-CD program, Collier offers a simple celebration of Harlem. "Uptown is a row of brownstones . . . weekend shopping on 125th Street . . . the orange sunset over the Hudson River . . . uptown is jazz." This collection of impressions is matched by Collier's vibrant collages. The young narrator, Ricky Smith, acts as a kind of tour guide, proudly introducing... Read More

In this fourth of a series, everyone from the school principal to the local police is interested in the identity of cyberhero Shredderman aka Nolan. When the teacher and parents who love and protect Nolan are jailed because Nolan has witnessed, and reported via email, the sale of classified secrets by an international spy ring, the boy has a dilemma on his hands. Furthermore,... Read More

When the narrator truly sounds the age of the main character, the listening experience takes on a whole new dimension. Daniel Young could be Nolan, the boy who doubles as the cyberhero Shredderman. Young’s youthful voice brings an immediate intimacy to the action as he narrates at a fast clip. His characters are seen from a boy’s perspective—classmates are animated; bully Bubba... Read More

Incorrigible Ralph the cat is back! This time it's delectable trash foods, such as blue cheesecake, squishy squid, and furry chicken, that attract him--and give him an upset stomach. Not even his owner, Sarah, can coax him into better eating habits, so it's off to the vet for Ralph. What will the vet's tests reveal, and how will the overnight stay affect Ralph's recovery? No... Read More

When Bernard the bear approaches intrepid detectives Bunny Brown and Jack (Raccoon) Jones, they are recovering from a game of Slap Jack. The spirited repartee between the two almost causes Bernard to leave, but he is persuaded to explain his despair over a lost whistle, vital to his delivery service. The case is taken! Now, what is that strange noise from a wayward robin? As... Read More

Unable to settle on an afternoon activity, Jack and Bunny head to Mabel's Tea House for high tea, featuring cookies and cucumber sandwiches. However, for this Raccoon and Rabbit detective duo, tea is not complete without sugar cubes. Who could have taken them? The sleuths go to work! Narrator William Dufris mimics detective dramas of old by exaggerating both words and pauses... Read More

Cazet's popular cow duo become sleuths, tracking down whoever stole Minnie's jelly donut. Minnie might have been content to let the culprit remain a mystery, but as Moo darkly notes, "One is never enough for those who shop in the supermarket of crime." Barbara Caruso expresses all the story's humor while playing up the two cows' different personalities. Minnie, sweet and... Read More

Everything about Amber Brown's second-grade experience is positive until she discovers how hard it is to be neat. She's been getting better at math, tolerates her friend Justin's chicken jokes, and is the "pocket queen" when she wears two pairs of overalls. But she's despondent when treats and ribbons are given for clean desks. What will it take for Amber to master the skill of... Read More

The day that report cards go home is a BIG one for first-graders. After peeking into the envelopes, Vera listens as friend Norman expounds upon how his family would respond to Vera's report card. Yet families are different, and Vera is not pleased when her family is too busy, at first, to celebrate her grades. Laura Hamilton knows Vera and each family member well. She is the... Read More

Everyone's favorite teacher, Mr. Slinger, is about to be married. Mr. Slinger has plans for the big day; student Lilly (who is a mouse) has plans, too. The funny thing is that the plans don't match! During the next few days, Lilly uses every classroom resource to hint to Mr. Slinger that she would be a spectacular flower girl. Laura Hamilton captures the warmth, humor, and... Read More

As each month unfolds, Miss McGillicuddy has a purposeful task--quilt-making, reading, picking cherries, or feeding animals. All the while, she observes each new and remarkable development in her yard. This year a tree of unusual shape and speedy growth appears and attracts guests of all description. What is growing on the tree, and how will Miss McGillicuddy's year end? Randye... Read More

"Start with rhythm/ Start with the heart"—so begins this collection of Walter Dean Myers poems, where listeners will find plenty of rhythm and plenty of heart. R&B artists James "D-Train" Williams and Vaneese Thomas read and sing the 17 poems—joyful tributes to jazz and bebop, to the piano and the slide trombone, to Louis Armstrong and New Orleans—with energy and verve,... Read More

In September 1957, nine black teenagers were sent to integrate an all-white high school with 2,000 students in Little Rock, Arkansas. Without the pretense of Southern accents, Charles Turner's sober, measured reading of the text conveys the tenacity and bravery required of those teens. Sound effects such as angry crowds and shattering glass emphasize the tension and danger of... Read More

First-grade teacher Mrs. Watson is after all the baby teeth she can get. The main character of this story knows--a second-grader told her. Her only choice is to keep her mouth shut to protect her loose tooth. Narrator Rachael Lillis sounds like a girlish first-grader, and the mini-drama also includes fun sound effects. We hear a bus pull up, the eager responses of... Read More

The deep, enthusiastic voice of Charles Turner energizes this repetitive rhyme celebrating the life of Bill Robinson. Known by the stage name "Bojangles?" Robinson was one of America's most talented tap dancers. Dixieland jazz, city noises, and the snaps and clicks of a tap dancer are some of the sound effects that make each page come to life. Since the pacing allows time for... Read More

Children's eyes will grow wide as they listen to this true story of how Allen Jay helped a passenger on the Underground Railway escape from slavery in 1842. Narrator Jay Sanders brings social studies to nail-biting life, whether documenting details of daily life at that long-ago time or building the suspense of how the main character finds the runaway slave and helps him to... Read More

In Revolutionary times, spies sent secret messages in clever ways. In this true story, John Darragh, a teenaged spy from a Quaker family, carries a message to General Washington sewn inside his coat buttons. Narrator Jason Harris conveys how much is at stake (spies could be hung), creating a healthy dose of dramatic tension over John's loss of a button and his capture in the... Read More

This book appreciates the caretakers in the world--those like Bea, friend and companion who watches over little Belle. In fact, Stewart dedicates this book to "all the people across the world who have saved the lives of children by paying attention when others did not." Here Stewart's meaning is quite literal--little Belle runs out to the ocean alone and has a scary encounter.... Read More

Children love Rotten Ralph because he's so naughty. In this story the cat and his superior cousin, Percy, attend a fair, where Ralph discovers that although practice is boring, those who practice do better, and those who are above such trivial matters do worse. Author Gantos takes great pleasure in reading his own story, and, though his characters' voices all sound a bit... Read More

What happens when the last giant on earth is unrequited for thousands of years in his quest to marry the moon? The townspeople of Pupickton see the legendary giant reflected in a nearby landform and believe they must be as quiet as can be, lest the giant be disturbed. Along comes Carolinda Clatter--the very personification of NOISE. Sound is the focus of this recording.... Read More

For the farmer, there's nothing to appreciate about a pesky fox stealing poultry from the henhouse. But for the fox's kits? there's nothing like the triumphant return of dad with food to the den, and for the listener there's nothing like Tom Chapin performing this well-loved folk song. As narrator, Chapin is direct and unobtrusive as he lets Peter Spier's award-winning... Read More

Narrator Daniel Young is nothing short of awesome in this second Shredderman story. The problem this time around is graffiti, which is appearing all over Cedar Valley, including the elementary school and faculty members’ cars. Nolan Byrd, self-proclaimed nerd, has a whole separate identity as a cyberhero. Nolan welcomes the challenge to put a stop to the vandalism and is soon... Read More

Sammy's unreliable mother confesses that she lied about Sammy's age to get her into kindergarten, so Sammy will be turning 13--again! If that's not depressing enough, Sammy discovers that she shares a birthday with her archenemy, Heather Acosta. When she finds a dead cat in a dumpster on her birthday, she's determined to find and stop the cat burglar. Tara Sands has an uncanny... Read More

Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, long tormented by his classmate, the brutish Bubba, goes undercover as "Shredderman" to expose the bully. Using the technological expertise that has earned him the nickname "Byrd the Nerd," Shredderman turns the tables on Bubba and becomes an avenging legend. Daniel Young, age 11, has an appropriately higher-pitched voice that is perfect for this... Read More

What is the source of one's worth? In the hardscrabble life of the Nebraska plain, a fluke accident crushes an only son's leg, bringing even more difficult times to the family. Nathaniel's sense of self is also crushed. Through grappling with his feelings toward his father, the orphan boy who comes to help out, the Greek family attending school, and the power struggles between... Read More

The life of a black girl during the period of Reconstruction is depicted through the thoughts, fears, and observations recorded by Patsy in her secret diary. From the giggles of her high spirits to her softer tones when she mentions the man she has a crush on to her sadness and fear as so many of her "family" leave the plantation, Sisi Johnson perfectly nuances Patsy's hidden... Read More

When Jill, Gwen, and Fletcher the dog head to the new park for the opening party, they hardly expect to stumble on a mystery. But when someone turns to vandalism to prevent the party from taking place, Fletcher and friends help identify the culprit. Whether portraying human, canine, or rodent, William Dufris and Christine Marshall create a cast of unique and descriptive... Read More

A skillful blend of humor and realism, along with a dash of mystery, makes the Sammy Keyes series popular with preteen girls. Van Draanen's years as a teacher who listened to kids can be heard in the rhythm of the text. Tara Sands employs an impressive vocal range that breathes life into every character. From Sammy's enthusiasm to archenemy Heather Acosta's superiority to the... Read More

When Jill chooses a new dog, little does she know that the basset hound will endear himself for both his storytelling and mystery-solving abilities. And, of course, there's his fun-loving sidekick, Jasper the flea! Jasper faces his first challenge as Jill and her friend, Gwen, concoct a school exhibit that includes a snow globe AND Jasper himself. William Dufris and Christine... Read More

The mystery-solving duo of Fletcher the basset hound and Jasper the flea are back in business and once again come to the aid of their human friends, Jill and Gwen. In this installment of Levy's First Chapter Books, a school-wide literary event culminates in a celebratory reading of Gwen's story but only after the sleuths have averted calamity. William Dufris and Christine... Read More

Sarah is learning about ancient Egypt at school, and when she tries to decide on the perfect class project, her bad cat, Ralph, helps out--with typically disastrous results. Author Jack Gantos narrates comfortably and has the ideal sly intonation for lines like, "Sarah's teacher was impressed. Her school friends were impressed. Of course, Ralph was impressed with himself."... Read More

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with ELVIS THE ROOSTER AND THE MAGIC WORDS.]--In these popular children's books, we meet Elvis, a proud and confident rooster. In the first book Elvis is brought low when it appears that the sun can rise without him; in the second he learns the power of "please" and "thank you" when dealing with others. Narrator Barbara Caruso... Read More

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with ELVIS THE ROOSTER ALMOST GOES TO HEAVEN.]--In these popular children's books, we meet Elvis, a proud and confident rooster. In the first book Elvis is brought low when it appears that the sun can rise without him; in the second he learns the power of "please" and "thank you" when dealing with others. Narrator Barbara... Read More

What universal memories are conjured up as Vera Rosenberry eloquently describes young Vera's days covered with spots and more spots? Remember the darkened room, the disorienting calm and separateness, the only-for-sick-days stuffed animals and toys? When Vera wobbles down to the kitchen to see what her sister and mother are doing, she relishes being scooped up and returned to... Read More

This production offers an engaging, original way for children to learn about a Native American hero. Renowned Abenaki author Bruchac has selected interesting facts that reveal how a young boy is transformed into brave Crazy Horse. Narrator Curtis Zunigha is mesmerizing; he sounds as though he is telling an old story rather than reading a book. Zunigha’s voice is enhanced by... Read More

Murphy-stop-that is the name of the terrier who tells this story, in which, appropriately, since it depicts a day in the life of a dog, nothing much happens. There's the fixation with food and the smelling out of mice and a trip to the vet's . . . but don't expect a lot of plot here. Narrator Jason Harris zestfully enacts the dog's frenzy of joy over food smells, his panting... Read More

Following the success of the popular DIARY OF A WORM, this clever picture book offers a light look at a spider's existence. This production has lots of fun sound effects (little organ runs here and there, water splashing, wind blowing, the crunch of a skin molting), which are very attractive to children. Narrator Harry Bliss supplies a variety of fun voices for the story's... Read More

From the opening moo to the final one, this is a recording of upbeat music and enthusiastic sound effects, all in support of Hurd's whimsical tale of a traveling cow. Neither Farmer George nor his cow is expecting to journey through the Milky Way Galaxy to Planet 246. John Beach narrates with an understatement that lends contrast to the absurdity of Zork, the space cowboy, and... Read More