Listeners hear Elizabeth Somers's unhappiness when she realizes her aunt and uncle are sending her to the Winterhouse Hotel, after leaving on their own vacation. Luckily, she has a practical disposition, which, along with a love of books and a facility for anagrams, will help her when she finds a magic book that holds a mystery. Narrator Sophie Amoss makes Elizabeth an empathetic and appealing character as she becomes more and more determined to solve the book's puzzle. When Elizabeth confronts a mysterious couple who are after the book, Amoss's narration darkens and slows, giving added hostility to their interactions. This is a delightful adventure worth sharing.
(Mystery/fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 8, 2018
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250310866
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A not-too-scary horror audiobook.
Dan Bittner gives a polished performance of Stine’s middle-grade horror novel, narrating with melodramatic flair and dramatic pauses at the end of each cliffhanger chapter. When the Ferber family moves into a creepy old house on Nightmare Street, Joe’s parents are oblivious to the scary things happening in the house. In a parallel story, the Hannigan family moves into the same house, where Shawn has different creepy experiences. Both Joe and Shawn have nightmares in which they encounter horror tropes—headstones, a creepy rag doll, a looping camera, a ventriloquist’s dummy, and masked teachers—in their house and at school. Bittner’s pacing works well, and fans of the Goosebumps series will enjoy the familiar shivers and tongue-in-cheek humor.
A not-too-scary horror audiobook.Pub Date: April 18, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798228588288
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2026
This story of a man and his dog working together and forming a bond is full of heart.
Joe Jameson narrates as both human and beast in this middle-grade novel about a service dog and his new owner. Goldendoodle Edmund and his adopted owner, Willy, explore the Grand Canyon to solve a mysterious decades-old disappearance. Edmund can talk to other dogs, and he can also see and talk to ghosts. Jameson is a one-man show. His Edmund is perfectly upper-class British, his Chihuahua is all Southern drawl, and his boxer is not the brightest bulb. Aside from delivering flawless accents, Jameson also peppers his narration with haughty scoffs, joyful barks, and the grumbles of monsters.
This story of a man and his dog working together and forming a bond is full of heart. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: March 17, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 54 mins
DD ISBN: 9798318566141
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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