Listeners will start grinning from the very first words of this production as narrator Dion Graham and author/artist Christopher Myers talk over each other, jockeying to introduce the story. Two young friends hit the basketball court to play a game of H.O.R.S.E. and trade trash talk—an impossible game that quickly moves beyond the court into the realm of the fantastic and all the way into outer space. Graham and Myers sound young and confident as the friends challenge each other to greater and greater feats. Myers's colorful collages offer plenty to look at (there's even an illustrated cameo by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson), and the bouncy soundtrack will make listeners want to move to the beat. The entire production is infused with infectious energy and good-natured competitive fun.
(Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: 2014
Duration: 11 mins
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Much has been written on Jackie Robinson's groundbreaking career and legacy, but it's nice to see a well-done synopsis covering the highlights of his life for young people. Narrator JD Jackson carries the story as he conveys the importance of Robinson's life without overdramatization. It covers Robinson's growing up, time in the Army, and deliberate recruitment for the purpose of breaking Major League baseball's color barrier. Jackson gives various players, coaches, and individuals--including Robinson's wife, Rachel--slight accents. His steady, animated narration reflects the well-researched book and is sure to hold the attention of both young and older listeners.
(Biography. 10-13)Pub Date: 2017
Duration: 2 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrators John Lithgow and Kate Mulgrew alternately share poems and songs created by Fred Rogers for his long-standing television show. Rogers's messages affirm children and give voice to the myriad feelings, good and bad, that all people feel from time to time. Wonder, joy, questions, exploration, outsides and insides, a new baby, one-of-a-kindness, needs emotional and material are examples of the breadth of Rogers's words. Lithgow's voice has its own richness, reminiscent of Rogers's own. His tone is firm and straightforward. When his voice expresses the anger of a poem, for example, he soon becomes calm as the anger fades. Kate Mulgrew is equally genuine and sets a pace for children's consideration of each message.
(Poetry. 3-8)Pub Date: 2019
Duration: 1 hr, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781683691808
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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