Narrator Kimberly Woods's soft voice draws out the roiling emotions in an audiobook about recovery, loss, and hope. Maisie is a 12-year-old Makah and Piscataway girl whose identity has revolved around ballet for years, but now she's injured and facing an uncertain future. Woods's youthful voice embodies Maisie, whose anger and anxieties are beginning to overwhelm her despite the loving support of her family. When they take a vacation on the Olympic Peninsula, Maisie finds a connection with her resilient ancestors but still feels hopeless, which is shown by the way she keeps snapping at her parents. Young listeners who are facing loss and a year like no other will find this quiet audiobook provides comfort and catharsis, as well as a role model for learning to express strong emotions and to ask for help.
(Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063063440
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An audiobook that’s sure to spark chuckles of recognition in children and adults alike.
The incomparable Sedaris is always a pleasure to listen to. In a departure from his usual humorous writing for adults, here he narrates his children’s picture book about a selfish sister who claims everything—from the stove to her granddad to her brother’s kidney—for herself. Sedaris’s narration is dramatic and fun, and he adds a slight quaver to his voice for effect. With its rhymes and cadence, the writing is reminiscent of Dr. Seuss’. There are both tantrums and pathos, and the ending invites listeners to consider the consequences of the sister's greediness.
An audiobook that’s sure to spark chuckles of recognition in children and adults alike. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 17, 2026
Duration: 3 mins
DD ISBN: 9798898852559
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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