Narrator Dion Graham draws listeners into this quirky tale set in the mysteriously off-kilter town of Carousel. Eggers tries his hand at engaging younger listeners, and Graham aids him greatly in that effort, breathing life into the central character, Gran (short for Granite), and his new pal, Catalina, who enter a secret underground world and seek to shore up Carousel. Graham excels at creating intrigue and suspense as this odd little story unfolds. His ability to depict a host of colorful characters adds a lot to this offbeat work, which is by turns fantastical, whimsical, and allegorical. Some listeners may wonder whether Eggers is a natural at writing for children, and all will enjoy Graham's performance of this story about sadness and the power of community to dispel it.
. (Fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: April 24, 2018
Duration: 5 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781524782849
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners can expect fantasy at its silliest, with humorous voices to match.
Daniel Henning narrates this middle-grade fantasy with a dose of zaniness. Henning creates individualized voices for a cast that includes Adelbert, the forgetful magician; an irritable king; a host of royal attendants; a curmudgeonly, wish-granting tree; and the heroine, Bernadette the Brave. Bernadette is a kind, soft-spoken girl who is “hired” (kidnapped) to serve as keeper of the 24 goats upon which the king’s castle improbably rests. As the story's narrator, Henning is humorous and conversational, recounting Bernadette and Adelbert’s quest to rescue the turtle, Perseverance. This fun romp is completely out of order, beginning in Chapter 13, and dotted with morals, Latin, and the bleating of goats.
Listeners can expect fantasy at its silliest, with humorous voices to match. (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 35 mins
DD ISBN: 9798899737732
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
Hamilton excels at grounding listeners while channeling the novel’s whimsy and mystery.
Nikola Hamilton’s narration anchors listeners as 12-year-old Roman tries to understand his complex family history. With a comforting frankness, Grandpa Henry tells Roman fantastical stories, like the tale of his own victimization by the Toe Beast, a creature grown from his amputated toe. This leads to other stories featuring a curious girl and her pack of dogs and a bucket that makes time travel possible. In the past, these stories frightened Roman, and Hamilton’s narration reflects Roman’s growing courage—until he finally travels through time in order to decipher strange symbols and secrets.
Hamilton excels at grounding listeners while channeling the novel’s whimsy and mystery. (Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 57 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280537
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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