by Andrew Weiner ; illustrated by April Chu ; read by Andrew Weiner & Beth Hicks ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2018
Andrew Weiner is the writer and narrator of this homage to fly fishing for children. The story captures a moment in time when a grandson, his mother, and his grandfather share a day fishing at the river. Weiner does not create character voices or imbue the story with gusto for what is obviously a treasured hobby. Rather, he reads in a calm, passive tone in the manner of a father reading a soothing bedtime story to a child. The listener can feel a quiet sort of joy as the grandfather recalls fishing with his daughter and creates new memories with his grandson. This gentle story is followed by Beth Hicks's lively reading of the nonfiction supplementary material, which includes information on fly-fishing basics and the concept of fisheries conservation.
. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2018
Duration: 13 mins
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Sarah Stewart ; illustrated by David Small ; read by Bonny Kelly-Young ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
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
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
by Rebecca Morrison ; read by Samara Naeymi ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 24, 2026
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.