Susan Vinciotti Bonito's endearing voice introduces Piccolo, a shrew who rides a scooter around his hometown in Italy. He makes a daily to-do list that includes his favorite places and is on his way to the gelateria for his favorite flavor--hazelnut--when he sees Mr. Russo struggling to take his painting to the art museum. Piccolo helps and deletes one item from his list. Listeners join him when he helps Brother Matis repair an ancient ruin and assists florist Miss Sophia with unloading her flowers. The story is told in Bonito's pitch-perfect adult and juvenile voices. Traditional Italian accordion music accompanies Piccolo as he exemplifies helping others while eliminating items from his to-dos. A list of Italian words and expressions rounds out this delightful children's production.
(Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
Duration: 8 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668651711
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The combination of sound effects and Quinn's exaggerated character voices make this animation for the ears.
Joshua Quinn narrates this short book featuring Waffles, a friendly dog who wants a hug, and his haughty housemate, Julius the cat. Quinn gives each a fitting voice—eager and goofy for Waffles, slow and somewhat disdainful for Julius. The two interact in typical cat and dog fashion. Classic cartoon-style sound effects accompany Waffles' attempts to hug his friend. Boings, zings, cymbal crashes, howling, meowing, and more punctuate the music and narration. Julius is not interested in hugs. After a day of trying, Waffles finally settles down for a nap to the sound of a music box lullaby. A tired Julius snuggles in beside him.
The combination of sound effects and Quinn's exaggerated character voices make this animation for the ears. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 7 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250443540
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
Kelly’s kaleidoscopic voice draws listeners in.
Caitlin Kelly narrates the start of a new children’s fantasy animal series from a powerhouse author. After losing their home to a mysterious fire, cat sisters Willow and Luna stumble upon secretive animals with the ability to communicate with them despite being different species. This means that the sisters are “attuned” and have magical abilities. Luna can control fire, but Willow struggles to realize her own gift. Kelly easily differentiates a wide cast of animal characters. And as Willow and Luna witness their new world clash with human witches, Kelly adds emotional intensity that matches the highly dramatic situations the animals find themselves in.
Kelly’s kaleidoscopic voice draws listeners in. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 19, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063449558
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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