Sunny Lu's youthful voice enlivens this poignant story inspired by the author's childhood memories. The narrator is a first-generation Chinese-American girl who is frustrated by her immigrant parents' embarrassing behavior, and, on this particular day, annoyed that she must collect watercress from a muddy roadside ditch. But her attitude changes once she understands the history behind her parents' emotional memories of this plant. Evocative music and environmental sound effects add subtle layers that enhance Lu's articulate delivery of the free-verse text. Her measured pacing allows listeners who are following along with the accompanying Caldecott-winning picture book to appreciate the illustrations. The back matter includes author and illustrator notes on the book's creation and the importance of sharing family stories with children.
(Picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2022
Duration: 10 mins
Publisher: Weston Woods Studios
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant.
Samara Naeymi beautifully narrates this middle-grade novel about an Iranian American girl. Bullied by her classmates for her frizzy hair and thick eyebrows and criticized by her mother for her weight, Yasmin struggles to be her authentic self in a world that tells her she's not good enough. There are many different perspectives in this story, and Naeymi is true to each: Yasmin’s judgmental mother, with her Persian accent and steely belief in her own harsh parenting; the ruthless teenagers whose hurtful comments cause emotional harm; the younger brother concerned for his sister's unhappiness; and the tried-and-true best friend.
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 51 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349114861
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2026
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