Narrator John Clarence Stewart perfectly captures this painful yet joyous story featuring the biological son of a dedicated foster mother. Eleven-year-old Jarrett is accustomed to the babies his mother frequently cares for, but he's unhappy when 12-year-old Kevon accompanies one of the babies. Stewart deftly portrays Jarrett's kindness to the babies, his many friendships, his pent-up anger towards Kevon, and his sweet crush on Caprice. He also conveys the warmth and gorgeous Guyanan accent of Jarrett's mom; her caring boyfriend, Terrence; and Jarrett's spirited best friend, Ennis. Stewart is quite scary when Jarrett "spies" on Kevon to learn about his background. Young listeners will ache for Jarrett when he must repeat fifth grade in this genuine work of realistic fiction.
(Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2014
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: ListenUp Audiobooks
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
Ebner’s well-paced narration will engage listeners to the very end of this excellent audiobook.
Jeff Ebner's youthful, enthusiastic voice immediately pulls listeners into this fun-filled summer adventure. Eleven-year-old Felix and his neighbor, Marigold, find a mysterious wooden box that contains a field recorder and a coded message that subsequently sends them on a fantastically sound-filled scavenger hunt. The inclusion of actual sound effects—an ice cream truck’s jingle, a barking dog, bird song, and more—throughout the audiobook enhances the listening experience. The music, the voices, and the clues as Felix and Marigold run all over town are irresistible. The story’s conclusion features an unexpected reconnection.
Ebner’s well-paced narration will engage listeners to the very end of this excellent audiobook. (Mystery. 7-11)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217351961
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
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