Anthony Rey Perez narrates this story of a Cuban-American boy who has a secret ability to communicate with animals. When sixth-grader Nestor moves in with his abuela while his father is deployed in Afghanistan, he discovers there is something creepy lurking in her woods. As Nestor and his new friends investigate, they discover that an evil shape-shifting witch has been abducting animals and that Nestor’s abuela is somehow involved. The mystery comes to a climax during a solar eclipse, when Nestor uses his powers to save the animals and his friends. Perez’s fast-paced narration and distinct voices for each animal—from a sinister snake to an obnoxious bird—enliven this vibrant audiobook based on Panamanian and Costa Rican folklore.
(Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781690591634
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Michael Boatman is once again a master of vocal sound effects in this third installment of the Skunk and Badger series: the ErrrrrRRRRR of a rock tumbler tumbling, the scutch-scutch of snowshoes moving over snow, the Beed-el-LOO-bing! of a banjo being plucked. Raising two precocious young rats in Aunt Lula's brownstone, Skunk and Badger find themselves in way, way over their heads. And how is Badger going to get his article for ROCK HOUND WEEKLY finished with all of the distractions?! Boatman captures the mayhem in a high-energy, fully committed performance, differentiating the animal characters, emphasizing the many all-caps words and phrases, and using his voice to paint a picture of a family life that's chaotic, cozy, and loving.
(Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781649041180
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrators Madeleine Curry and Valerie Gutierrez provide lively voices for a story that takes place in a multiverse. Two girls live in parallel versions of a town called Rockdale. Twelve-year-old Piper lives with her parents and her robot dog, Roody. Raisa lives in the parallel Rockdale with parents who are scientists. Each girl is on a mission: Raisa transports herself to Piper's Rockdale to prove her mother's theory of parallel worlds, while Piper is working to free her parents from the force field that is trapping them in their home. As the chapters alternate, Curry and Gutierrez give the girls expressive voices that make them believable. Their pacing adds to the excitement of the story, keeping listeners engaged.
(Science fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668651773
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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