Narrator Nina Alvamar delivers an energetic tone for soon-to-be- fifth-grader Mavis, who finds herself moving once again when her mother finds a new job as a housekeeper in Landry, Alabama. Mavis decides that this time she will make a best friend, and Rose, the daughter of her mother's employer, seems like a perfect fit. They spend the summer together, going on adventures and trying to find a home for Henry, a runaway dog. Alvamar easily transitions from spirited Mavis to even-tempered Rose, and finally to Henry. The characters are voiced without regional accents, which does seem like a missed opportunity. Still, listeners will be captivated by the escapades of Mavis, Rose, and Henry as their friendship thrives.
Ages 8+Pub Date: 2018
Duration: 4 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781980006305
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Robb Moreira summons a mythic tone for this original spinoff of the Aztec creation story. In Higuera's story, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl's lesser-known brother, Xolotl, recounts "what really happened." Xolo has a dog's head, paws, and, most importantly, a love of humankind. Moreira's declamatory tones suit the epic nature of the story but also sometimes flatten the nuances of Higuera's characterizations. Listeners who don't seek out the print edition to accompany the audiobook will miss illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson's strikingly stylized figures, colorfully lush design, and critical narrative detail that's often communicated only in the illustrations. Those who do read and listen will occasionally find themselves zooming past wordless sequences that demand close attention. Both otherworldly and sweet--and perhaps best enjoyed in print.
(Mythology. 7-10)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9798899735035
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Tara Novie's youthful voice reflects a sense of wonder for the topic of this audiobook: whales. While her bright delivery contrasts with the somberness of those majestic animals that were pushed out of former habitats by human expansion, she does convey a sense of hope as the Hudson River flows clear again and the whales return. In the second part of the audiobook, Novie's tone becomes more grounded as she details historical and environmental insights relating to the Hudson Highlands River's troubled past and activism that led to the 1972 Clean Water Act. Novie conveys the urgency of this environmental issue and humanity's role in shaping an optimistic future.
(Informational picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 22 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250386755
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: yesterday
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