In his rich, gravelly voice John McDonough narrates the story of 12-year-old orphan, Lucas Whitaker, who comes to apprentice with Dr. Uriah Beecher when his family is lost to consumption in the mid-1800's. McDonough's readings of the deep-voiced doctor and his brusque and officious sister are differentiated from Lucas's lighter, more tentative tones. The unhurried pace is in keeping with an era that lacked haste and allowed for the sort of rumination Lucas must undertake as he struggles to untangle the scientific and popular beliefs about the causes of disease. Middle-grade listeners will be attracted by the skull in the cover art and won't be disappointed.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1997
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Consummate narrator Jim Dale brings this story of kindness and empathy to life for little listeners. Every day, like clockwork, Amos McGee takes the 6:00 a.m. bus to the zoo to visit his animal friends. He knows exactly what each animal needs--whether it's a race with the tortoise or quiet companionship with a shy penguin. When Amos gets sick with a cold, his animal friends make the journey to him to help him get through his hard time. Dale's expressive narration, with an especially endearing Amos, is shared in two versions, the first paired with engaging music and the second with page-turn signals to allow listeners to read along with the charming picture book. E.E.C. 2018 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
(Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
Duration: 10 mins
DD ISBN: 9781427294456
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Neil Hellegers presents this brief biography of Ludwig Guttmann in much the same manner that Guttmann lived his life--with precision and matter-of-factness. Guttmann's outstanding contributions to the field of spinal cord injuries and his dogged determination to help patients are more than sufficient to keep listeners interested in this audiobook. Hellegers even presents Guttmann's early struggles as a Jewish doctor in Nazi Germany without invoking real horror; however, this feels consistent with Guttmann's relentless resolve to persevere, succeed, and improve the lives of soldiers and others with paralyzing spinal cord injuries. Guttmann's refusal to give up on these "incurables" led him to realize the importance of sports in recovery and to found the Paralympic Games, now the world's third largest sporting event.
(Biography. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 1 hr, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781690587255
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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