This crowd-pleasing short story collection from the prolific Levithan focuses on love in all its variety, including representation from several points on the LGBTQIA spectrum and topics ranging from quiz bowl to Taylor Swift fan fiction. Longtime fans will relish hearing from familiar characters, such as BOY MEET'S BOY's Infinite Darlene, in a story titled "The Quarterback and the Cheerleader," narrated by Elle Cohen, who nails the playful banter and soft hope of a first date. Shorter but no less sweet is Rebecca Lowman's intimate, emotive performance of a love story in verse. It takes seven narrators to deliver the angst and excitement of the members of a queer youth choir. Most memorable, however, may be the autobiographical works narrated by Levithan himself, especially the concluding track about the profound effects of sharing one's words with others.
(Anthology. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593104903
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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