In this quiet story set in the rural South of the 1950s, narrators Kate Simses and Todd Haberkorn bring this period of racial intolerance into sharp focus. Eleven-year-old Azalea reluctantly spends her summer helping out her injured grandmother, whom she barely knows. Though painfully shy, Azalea befriends Billy Wong, who helps run his Chinese family's grocery store. Azalea's voice is soft yet nervous while Billy exudes confidence and determination. Azalea's narrative is interspersed with Billy's thoughts and lists. Though Todd Haberkorn's voice for Billy's interludes is different from the rest of Billy's dialogue as delivered by Simses, the discrepancy doesn't detract from the whole performance. Simses's portrayal of Azalea's grandmother is exactly what you'd imagine--a mixture of comfort, warmth, and kindness with a hint of sadness.
(Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
Duration: 4 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781338051070
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
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
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth.
Kestrel and her mother leave the home in California they share with Kestrel's grandfather, a pastor, to stay at a wildlife conservation institute in Montana. Narrator Mirai's youthful voice is a natural fit for this story of a young girl who at first resents being tricked into leaving California, but who later comes to realize that moving away from their strict home life was the right choice. Mirai employs distinctive voices for the adults, like Kestrel's stern grandfather and her uncertain mother, who begins gaining confidence. An author's note at the end discusses emotional abuse and how to find help.
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth. (Verse fiction. 9-14)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 42 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668175507
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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