Graves’ credible performance brings a fresh and different take to this coming-of-age story.
This is the audio diary of one year in the life of Zakiyyah, a Black Muslim teen in Boston who is pursuing a year of spiritual, lifestyle, and romantic goals. Precocious Zakiyyah sees herself as different from her peers, despite the familiar vocal fry and subtle adolescent whine that narrator Yusra Graves gives her. Graves’ performance shifts from giddy highs and righteous anger to boredom and frustration. Occasionally, a Zakiyyah from the near future interjects, addressing her husband in a stronger and sweeter tone than the one used by her younger self. That strength also surfaces in the Arabic and English words of young Zakiyyah’s prayers, reflecting how she finds fulfillment and calm in her faith before she achieves it in the rest of her life.
Graves’ credible performance brings a fresh and different take to this coming-of-age story. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217342174
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Narrator Shayna Small is excellent as she portrays Leena, a 16-year-old girl who is being raised by her single mother, Asiyah. Leena has always dreamed of being part of a big family, but so far her family is just two people. When an unexpected phone call reveals that she has a Muslim grandfather and great-aunt, Leena is forced to rethink everything about her identity and consider the differences between her secular African American mother and her newly discovered relatives. Small's narration perfectly reflects Leena's emotional journey as she is confronted by questions of identity, family, culture, and faith. Listeners will be invested in Leena's exploration of where she came from, who she is, and what her future holds.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2025
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798897567874
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Sophie Amoss narrates this story set in nineteenth-century Russia's Jewish communities. After fleeing from an arranged marriage, 17-year-old Sorel navigates gender identity. Sorel assumes the masculine identity Isser Jacobs, only to learn that Isser Jacobs is a real person who sold illegal political pamphlets translated into Yiddish. Magical elements including dybbuks (angels) and demons, some of whom have Russian accents, are interspersed in the story. Characters speak in hushed tones when discussing censorship, growing determined as they seek answers. Sorel often stutters when flustered, and when Sorel becomes Isser, Amoss uses a deeper voice. Amoss masterfully handles the pronunciation of Yiddish and Hebrew words in this solid, well-paced performance.
(Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2024
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798894862484
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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