Narrator Leon Williams vividly conveys action, fear, and uncertainty in this audiobook about a subject not often written about, Hitler's youth groups. Twelve-year-old Karl Friedman is more enthusiastic than the rest of his family about the Führer, so much so that he turns in his older brother for not being "German enough." Williams impeccably captures everyone in Karl's circle: mother, brother, grandparents, and first girlfriend, Lisa. He particularly excels at demonstrating Karl's changing opinion as he witnesses the needless—and endless—cruelty of the Gestapo and Germany’s other fanatical citizens. Outstanding sound effects replicating an air-raid shelter under attack will keep young listeners glued to this outstanding coming-of-age story, which graphically demonstrates the horrors of war while humanizing the people who are swept along in it.
(Historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781490682440
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.
AGES 8+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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