Sound effects and a full cast lift this graphic novel off the page to create an immersive audio experience. While vacationing at her family’s lake house, 13-year-old Gabby, a bookworm, decides to write a mystery story about the old, empty house nearby that is at the center of a celebrity disappearance. When her rebellious neighbor, Paige, pushes Gabby to trespass on the property to hunt for clues, Gabby has to decide how far she is willing to go to uncover a story. Cassandra Morris voices Gabby with youthful innocence that makes her good-girl trepidation all the more believable. Narrator Tara Sands provides the perfect counterpoint with Paige’s tone of jaded cynicism. Other narrators are equally distinct as the various family members and neighbors.
(Graphic fiction. 7-11)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
Duration: 2 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781338637588
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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: Nov. 4, 2025
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9798899735035
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ciaran Saward's zany delivery is perfect for a young audience that thrives on silly nonstop action and striking sound effects. Selfish, bullying Monkey is sent into space but soon crash-lands in a forest, which he decides to colonize. When genial Bunny realizes this, he gathers Pig and Weenie Squirrel--all humorously rendered--to save their peaceful home from the intruder. Seward incorporates instructional tidbits, for example, how bats navigate. The most fun are Skunk, Monkey's megalomaniac inventor, and French-accented Le Fox, who just wants to be left alone. Sound effects such as the snoring of a hibernating bear take listeners into the action. Audio enriches delightful wordplay, and older audiences will hear references to current events.
(Graphic fantasy. 6-10)Pub Date: July 1, 2025
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781038029454
Publisher: Bolinda Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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