Narrator James Langton smoothly transitions from young to old and male to female characters, and his delivery of dialogue ranges believably from refined to coarse. These traits amplify the historical authenticity of this Dickensian adventure by the award-winning author Avi. From the moment 12-year-old Oliver Cromwell Pitts is awakened by a raging storm, his life careens from one disastrous event to another. With his father and sister gone, Oliver must find a way to fend for himself in Victorian England, not an easy place for a boy on his own. Avi melds seamy historical details with healthy doses of derring-do, and Langton manages all the characters—from highwaymen to tavern keepers to prison officials, and more—with first-rate pitch and pacing, fully connecting young listeners to another time and place.
(Historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2017
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781501953507
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.
AGES 8+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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