by Ann Bausum ; read by Vikas Adam & Ann Bausum ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 4, 2019
Vikas Adam narrates the story of the fight against AIDS in the U.S. with the urgency the topic demands. As he recounts the early stages of the epidemic, when doctors were unable to connect the victims to each other or to find a way to treat the illness as the death count inexorably rose, his voice reflects the dire situation that PWAs (Persons With Aids) found themselves in. Listeners unfamiliar with these events will be fascinated by the search for treatment and sympathetic with PWAs' frustration with the lack of support from the government and the church. Their horror is reflected in Adam's voice as they are denied research funding for years. At that time, HIV/AIDS was seen as a gay man's disease, even as it spread to larger populations.
(Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781984886095
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Avi ; read by Alexandra O'Karma ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
by Jacinda Ardern ; adapted by Ruby Shamir ; read by Jacinda Ardern ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 2, 2026
Listeners will be inspired by this principled prime minister who tackled her country’s biggest challenges with...
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
Aspiring leaders, take note! In her Kiwi accent, Jacinda Ardern narrates this heartfelt and sincere adaptation of her memoir A Different Kind of Power, eliciting chuckles with amusing anecdotes and tears over tragedies. Ardern recounts her modest childhood, her unlikely path to politics, and her rise to New Zealand’s highest office as a young, pregnant, unmarried woman—armed with empathy, intelligence, faith, supportive loved ones, and a desire to serve. She shepherded her country through a volcanic eruption, Covid-19, and a mass shooting. Her heartrending narration of the shooting switches to steely resolve as she works to ban assault rifles.
Listeners will be inspired by this principled prime minister who tackled her country’s biggest challenges with kindness. (Memoir. 12-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217342044
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 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.