This poem-tale, inspired by a real-life incident, will have kids listening intently for the author's rollicking rhymes and fun wordplay and focusing on the plot: What will become of the 15 circus animals whose steamship to Boston is shipwrecked on an isle off the Maine coast? Andrew Watts uses his deep voice to enhance the author's rhyme scheme; lingering lightly over alliteration, he sketches the voices of worried crew members, surprised islanders, and the evil circus master. This fun production concludes with an author's note on the actual event that sparked this story: In 1836 a steamer traveling to Portland, Maine, with an entire circus aboard ran into a gale off the island of Vinalhaven.
Ages 4-6Pub Date: 2009
Duration: 15 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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