Ana Sani narrates the second installment of the Pippa Greene series with the jaunty lilt one expects of an optimistic teen. A brief synopsis of the earlier story leads into Pippa's experiences at an invitation-only photography summer camp at Tisch School of the Arts in New York City. The 14-year-old is excited about the possibility of meeting her father's best friend, David, a mentor for the coveted camp. Sani excels at capturing Pippa's attitude, using pert and ebullient pacing and great enunciation. During times of turmoil, however, Sani's narration lacks sufficient distinction, resulting in a rather one-note performance. This sweet coming-of-age novel, which contains some deep truths, is at times not convincingly translated to audio.
(Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781773056463
Publisher: ECW Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
While narrator Liam Aiken evokes the wistful, dolorous tone of Snicket’s second mystery in his All the Wrong Questions series, he fails to deliver Snicket’s signature snark with appropriate vigor. In this episode, the main character, 12-year-old Lemony Snicket, continues the investigations that began in STAIN’D BY THE SEA with the case of the missing chemist, Cleo Knight. As Aiken delivers Snicket’s declarative sentences in a deadpan voice, his remote reading keeps listeners distant from the story. Furthermore, Aiken does not always play up the quirks of the town’s eccentric characters. When he does use individualized voicings, the story shakes off its languidness to some degree. Aiken’s melancholy narration echoes Snicket’s loneliness but doesn’t enliven the recording for young listeners. An attached PDF file includes the character Seth’s illustrations.
(Mystery. 8-14)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2013
Duration: 4 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781478924845
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Jeff Harding voices the many impactful moments of 1919 in this engaging nonfiction audiobook. From women activists fighting for the right to vote to the Red Scare and civil rights riots, Sandler draws parallels to today's social issues. Harding matches 1919's cadence with a forward-moving pace. He uses different accents for quotations, though the women and people of color might have been better served with a diverse cast. The asides and timelines that appear in the text also are in the audio. Full of fascinating stories put into a modern context, this audiobook offers much to learn about an eventful year and ponders the big questions of our current time.
(Nonfiction. 11-16)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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