by Brandy Colbert ; read by Angel Pean & Tyla Collier ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9, 2025
Narrators Angela Pean and Tyla Collier team up to tell the story of Kenya and Liberty, two look-alike sixth-grade girls who discover that they're long-lost twins after getting into a spat at school. Now Kenya and Liberty are determined to bring their family together by playing matchmaker with Kenya's father and Liberty's foster mom. Pean and Collier perfectly juxtapose the tumultuous emotions of the twins as they uncover painful experiences in the past and learn the truth about their mother. The narrators also deliver moments of humor and joy as the girls get to know each other and form a connection. Listeners will cheer on the kids in this fresh twist on a classic story.
(Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063092518
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Sarah Stewart ; illustrated by David Small ; read by Bonny Kelly-Young ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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by Rebecca Morrison ; read by Samara Naeymi ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 24, 2026
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
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Samara Naeymi beautifully narrates this middle-grade novel about an Iranian American girl. Bullied by her classmates for her frizzy hair and thick eyebrows and criticized by her mother for her weight, Yasmin struggles to be her authentic self in a world that tells her she's not good enough. There are many different perspectives in this story, and Naeymi is true to each: Yasmin’s judgmental mother, with her Persian accent and steely belief in her own harsh parenting; the ruthless teenagers whose hurtful comments cause emotional harm; the younger brother concerned for his sister's unhappiness; and the tried-and-true best friend.
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 51 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349114861
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2026
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