It’s a battle of wits and literary knowledge when Kyle Keeley and his friends find themselves in a futuristic library filled with avatars and holograms. Narrator Jesse Bernstein’s youthful voice captures the personalities of the young contestants who must discover clues to escaping the library and winning the grand prize. Though the librarian’s Russian accent is somewhat flimsy, Bernstein’s articulate and carefully modulated voice reveals the outrageous moments in the game show-esque atmosphere without taking away from the children’s earnestness, or the lessons about team playing and character building. The wealth of literary and game-show references may not be understood by all children; however, Bernstein’s engaging performance may inspire listeners to check out some of the titles mentioned.
(Mystery. 9-13)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780804168076
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.
AGES 8+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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