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A YEAR WITH THE SEALS

UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF THE SEA'S MOST CHARISMATIC AND CONTROVERSIAL CREATURES

Author and environmental journalist Alix Morris writes of her experiences with studying seals, a species once on the verge of extinction that has been saved by conservation efforts. Narrator Anna Crowe delights listeners with her passionate presentation. She captures the wonder Morris has for these animals, ensuring that listeners are engaged and moved throughout the audiobook. Morris also explains the ongoing tension between seals and fishermen. Known for their cleverness, seals often steal fish from nets, behavior that poses a threat to fishermen's livelihoods. This complex relationship means that not everyone welcomes the seals' recovery though they're an important part of the ocean's ecosystem. Morris makes it clear why it's important that people have a greater understanding of the challenges seals face.

Pub Date: July 15, 2025

Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins

DD ISBN: 9781668650400

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026

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    TREE

    MY ENCOUNTERS WITH TREES

    Like the experience of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, Lee’s sensitive performance is tranquil and inspiring.

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    Ela Lee’s smooth narration and soothing tones are perfectly suited to this collection of contemplative essays. Kōda explains that her close relationship with trees was sparked by her father. Trees were his passion, and he gave each of his children a tree to nurture. As Kōda visits forests around Japan, various trees spark memories. Even when these memories are painful, a sense of healing and growth pervades. Lee’s deliberate pace allows room for quiet reflection throughout this lyrical journey into the significance trees hold for Kōda and the ways that they mirror her world and the rhythms of human life.

    Like the experience of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, Lee’s sensitive performance is tranquil and inspiring.

    Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026

    Duration: 4 hrs, 19 mins

    DD ISBN: 9780063443433

    Publisher: Harper Audio

    Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026

    Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026

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      FIERCE COUNTRY

      THE UNTOLD STORY OF THREE WOMEN WHO IGNITED AMERICA’S LOVE FOR THE WILD

      Listeners will be transported to some of America's most dramatic landscapes.

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      Three women passionate about America’s wild places helped inspire the public’s love of the natural environment and gave rise to the term “ecofeminism.” They are profiled in this triple biography along with the environments they cared about—the Grand Canyon, Colorado high mountain skiing areas, and the Adirondacks. With her easy pace, Kimberly Wetherell makes listening a pleasure. Wetherell effectively relays Hansman's lyrical descriptions of the three environments, taking listeners into powdery snow, rushing water, and deep woods. Her conversational tone suits the material but is especially effective in the opening and closing chapters, when the author speaks from a first-person perspective.

      Listeners will be transported to some of America's most dramatic landscapes.

      Pub Date: July 14, 2026

      Duration: 9 hrs, 52 mins

      DD ISBN: 9781488238031

      Publisher: Harper Audio

      Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2026

      Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026

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