Cary Hite and Sisi Aisha Johnson create an astonishing number of distinct characters in this historical fiction based on true stories of escaped enslaved people. Hite voices 12-year-old Homer, who escapes from the Southerland plantation with his younger sister, Ada. He conveys their childish naïveté and wonder when they are rescued and brought to Freewater, a secret community of escaped enslaved people who live hidden deep in a swamp. Hite is just as convincing as the plantation overseer who is hunting for the pair. In alternating chapters, Johnson is engaging as she voices Homer’s friend, Anna, at the plantation; the headstrong, freeborn Sanzi in Freewater, and various members of the plantation owner’s family. Working together, the two narrators bring the historical setting vividly to life.
(Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2022
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549163357
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Lawrence enthusiastically portrays Cora and her friends in this fast-paced historical-fiction adventure.
Narrator Emily Lawrence creates a determined voice for Cora, who is desperately trying to survive the tragic 1906 earthquake in San Francisco with her two friends Chi and Oliver. Lawrence captures Cora’s tumultuous emotions as she and Chi are buried in rubble following the disaster and saved by her forbidden friend Oliver. Despite the bitter feud between their parents, Cora and Oliver work together to try to find her family as fire keeps spreading throughout their beloved city, all while running from bullies who are after Cora. Lawrence makes each character unique and adds a slight Irish accent for Oliver.
Lawrence enthusiastically portrays Cora and her friends in this fast-paced historical-fiction adventure. (Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798225033521
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
A poignant portrait of bravery.
Graham Halstead’s narration contains layers of emotion that fully reveal the character and growth of 13-year-old Lucas Dubois, an orphan living in 1944 occupied France. Halstead shows Lucas’ compassion as he rescues newborn kittens from being drowned. Lucas’ tenderness extends to a teen mother kept at the Lebensborn, a Nazi maternity home dedicated to producing soldiers-to-be. Lucas delivers groceries and conveys underground messages. Halstead also reveals the prickly nature of Alice, an older teen protecting her horse from being confiscated by Nazis. Halstead’s performance matches the breakneck pacing when Lucas stands up to German soldiers and confronts his own sense of insecurity.
A poignant portrait of bravery. (Historical fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250433039
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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