Sura Siu captivates as she narrates this breathtaking seafaring adventure. Sai is a bright-voiced, bold 12-year-old girl who is hoping to carve a new course for her life and leave her past behind. She’s thrilled when her assistantship to the bristly, demanding mapmaker Paiyoon yields an opportunity to join an expedition charting the Southern seas for the Mangkon kingdom. Sai soon hears rumors of a secret, dangerous plan to divert their course to find the Sunderlands, a fabled continent guarded by dragons. Soontornvat’s Thai-inspired fantasy world is one listeners will adore exploring, and Siu brings it to life beautifully. Siu amps up the pace as Sai faces storms, betrayal, and more as she uses all her strengths to chase her dreams—and do what’s right. E.E.C. 2022 Best Audiobook, 2023 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
(Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2022
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: OrangeSky Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Kelly’s kaleidoscopic voice draws listeners in.
Caitlin Kelly narrates the start of a new children’s fantasy animal series from a powerhouse author. After losing their home to a mysterious fire, cat sisters Willow and Luna stumble upon secretive animals with the ability to communicate with them despite being different species. This means that the sisters are “attuned” and have magical abilities. Luna can control fire, but Willow struggles to realize her own gift. Kelly easily differentiates a wide cast of animal characters. And as Willow and Luna witness their new world clash with human witches, Kelly adds emotional intensity that matches the highly dramatic situations the animals find themselves in.
Kelly’s kaleidoscopic voice draws listeners in. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 19, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063449558
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
Sanderlin brings gravitas to the story’s most serious scenes while adding humor to its frequent moments of whimsy.
Mark Sanderlin tells this middle-grade story as the Royal Chronicler, an unnamed adult at an entertaining scholarly remove from the adventures of the main characters. Eleven-year-old Olly leaves his younger sister, Jenny, at home when he reluctantly goes out to find work, a necessity for kids in their struggling community. Their bleak reality becomes more colorful when Olly’s first job ends up being at a secret refuge for endangered dragons, and when Jenny develops magical powers. As they stumble into a quest to save the fantastical species, Olly and Jenny’s dialogue sounds convincingly kidlike, a nice contrast with the chronicler’s news anchor-style delivery of the rest of the prose.
Sanderlin brings gravitas to the story’s most serious scenes while adding humor to its frequent moments of whimsy. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 24 mins
DD ISBN: 9798898850296
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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