Marisol Ramirez captures the youthful voice of Isla Larson, who lives between two worlds, New Jersey and Puerto Rico. She struggles to fit in at her school and clashes with her alcoholic mother. She is relieved to spend summers in Puerto Rico with her Great-Aunt Alma. At 18, Isla discovers that she has the gift of storytelling--she can vividly see past events in front of her. After Alma dies, Isla starts to see visions of a tragedy that changed the course of her family's life. Will Isla eventually discover the true cause of the tragedy? Ramirez switches from English to Puerto Rican Spanish effortlessly. She gives each character a distinct voice that is natural. Ramirez's warm tone allows listeners to empathize with Isla.
Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781705070024
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In this fascinating coming-of-age portrait, Thomas Black Bull's journey from the child, Bear's Brother, to the fearsome rodeo rider, Killer Tom Black, is painted with compassion and insight. Forced to learn the White Man's ways, Tom reaches adulthood consumed by rage. Read with great vigor by Norman Dietz, the recording bursts with the energy of rodeo circuit and transports the listener to the southwest. The accurate portrayal of Tom's Ute ancestry and way of life, the sorrow and frustration of losing his heritage, and his angry retaliation at the world make this an excellent listening choice for adults and teenagers. It would also be a wonderful addition to high school units on the Native American experience.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
George S. Irving adopts Patrick McManus's characters with gusto. Sit back and listen to yarn after yarn. Irving relishes each story, whether it's fishing stories, such as "Claw of the Sea-Puss" or "To Filet or Not to Filet," or the escapades with McManus's wary but vulnerable neighbors. Irving has the jocular chuckle down pat, and the low comedy satire comes off without a hitch. Listeners can imagine Irving tipping back a chair at the country store swapping lies with cronies and entertaining any comers with these hilarious tales. His repertoire of more than eight collections of McManus stories encourages this kind of ownership!
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: DH Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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