A powerful and timely middle-grade novel that explores friendship, courage, and the importance of speaking up.
Narrator Tyla Collier perfectly portrays protagonist Calla Howard in this engaging and important listen. On the final day of seventh grade, rumors swirl around Mr. Chavis, Calla's favorite teacher, accusing him of inappropriate conduct with former students. Calla prides herself on being the smart one, but she finds herself questioning her own experiences. In an effort to do something, Calla and her friends take inspiration from EboniiNews, the journalist fighting to discover the truth about Mr. Chavis. They decide to create a @listentothegirls social media account—a space where current and former students can speak up and support each other. Collier infuses Calla and the entire cast of characters with warmth and believability while bringing a nuanced tone to this meaningful story.
A powerful and timely middle-grade novel that explores friendship, courage, and the importance of speaking up. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217295890
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
While narrator Liam Aiken evokes the wistful, dolorous tone of Snicket’s second mystery in his All the Wrong Questions series, he fails to deliver Snicket’s signature snark with appropriate vigor. In this episode, the main character, 12-year-old Lemony Snicket, continues the investigations that began in STAIN’D BY THE SEA with the case of the missing chemist, Cleo Knight. As Aiken delivers Snicket’s declarative sentences in a deadpan voice, his remote reading keeps listeners distant from the story. Furthermore, Aiken does not always play up the quirks of the town’s eccentric characters. When he does use individualized voicings, the story shakes off its languidness to some degree. Aiken’s melancholy narration echoes Snicket’s loneliness but doesn’t enliven the recording for young listeners. An attached PDF file includes the character Seth’s illustrations.
(Mystery. 8-14)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2013
Duration: 4 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781478924845
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Jeff Harding voices the many impactful moments of 1919 in this engaging nonfiction audiobook. From women activists fighting for the right to vote to the Red Scare and civil rights riots, Sandler draws parallels to today's social issues. Harding matches 1919's cadence with a forward-moving pace. He uses different accents for quotations, though the women and people of color might have been better served with a diverse cast. The asides and timelines that appear in the text also are in the audio. Full of fascinating stories put into a modern context, this audiobook offers much to learn about an eventful year and ponders the big questions of our current time.
(Nonfiction. 11-16)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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