Collaboration works in the writing and narration of the alternating viewpoints of this story. Noah Galvin portrays Arthur, a bright Jewish teen who has recently come out but has never had a relationship. For him, a chance and momentary encounter with Ben at the post office seems fated--as if the universe has thrown them together--but neither of them knows the identity of the other. Galvin depicts Arthur's loneliness and desolation when he can't find the cute guy from the post office. Froy Gutierrez expresses the vulnerability of Ben, who has recently suffered a boyfriend breakup but also feels an instant attraction to Arthur. Ben and Arthur's friends support them in solving the identity mystery and in their burgeoning relationship. The narrators capture the heroes' accents and ethnicities as well as the story's drama, lively dialogue, pop-culture references, and distinctive secondary characters.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: 2018
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062855091
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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