Aysha Kala delivers an innocent and awed performance in the narration of Anna James's first book. Tilly, an 11-year-old, lives in London with her grandparents above their beloved bookshop, Pages & Co. Kala voices Tilly with the appropriate dreaminess and curiosity--and a fabulous English accent. Soon, Tilly gets pulled into the books she loves so much and discovers her family's secret of being able to wander into the stories they read. Starting on her own grand adventure to find her mother, she travels into many children's classics, meeting many characters. Although Kala performs the story well, her lack of differentiation between voices makes it hard to follow. Nonetheless, the story's premise will appeal to booklovers of all ages.
(Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2019
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593106600
Publisher: Listening Library
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
Ebner’s well-paced narration will engage listeners to the very end of this excellent audiobook.
Jeff Ebner's youthful, enthusiastic voice immediately pulls listeners into this fun-filled summer adventure. Eleven-year-old Felix and his neighbor, Marigold, find a mysterious wooden box that contains a field recorder and a coded message that subsequently sends them on a fantastically sound-filled scavenger hunt. The inclusion of actual sound effects—an ice cream truck’s jingle, a barking dog, bird song, and more—throughout the audiobook enhances the listening experience. The music, the voices, and the clues as Felix and Marigold run all over town are irresistible. The story’s conclusion features an unexpected reconnection.
Ebner’s well-paced narration will engage listeners to the very end of this excellent audiobook. (Mystery. 7-11)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217351961
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: yesterday
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