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DOWN BY THE RIVER

A FAMILY FLY FISHING STORY

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

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    THE GARDENER

    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

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      THE BLUE DRESS

      Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant.

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      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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