Narrator Michael Crouch captures each character's quirks in this funny, sometimes heartbreaking, story of an emotionally charged family road trip. Thirteen-year-old Theo is an introvert. Like his older sister, Laura, and his father, a science teacher, he struggles with communicating his emotions, preferring to channel those feelings into his comic book drawings. Two years after the death of his mother, Theo's family, still unable to share their grief, somewhat reluctantly takes a vacation. Crouch delivers Theo's first-person perspective with relatable adolescent angst and sardonic wit. His subtle differentiation between the main characters illuminates the dynamics of family conversations, sibling squabbles, and parental refereeing. The journey is memorable, and Crouch skillfully voices an assortment of robust personalities that listeners will enjoy.
(Fiction. 10-13)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
Duration: 4 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780358576297
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth.
Kestrel and her mother leave the home in California they share with Kestrel's grandfather, a pastor, to stay at a wildlife conservation institute in Montana. Narrator Mirai's youthful voice is a natural fit for this story of a young girl who at first resents being tricked into leaving California, but who later comes to realize that moving away from their strict home life was the right choice. Mirai employs distinctive voices for the adults, like Kestrel's stern grandfather and her uncertain mother, who begins gaining confidence. An author's note at the end discusses emotional abuse and how to find help.
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth. (Verse fiction. 9-14)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 42 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668175507
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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