Narrator Lauren Irwin immerses listeners in the true stories of Jewish children in the 1930s who fled to safety on the Kindertransport (Children's Transport), leaving their parents behind in Nazi Germany. In her distinguished English accent, enhanced by authentic-sounding pronunciations of German names and places, Irwin relays the history of the Nazi party's systematic persecution of the Jews, leading up to Kristallnacht and the mobilization to send the children away to safety. Her formal tone does not hide the terrors the Jewish families faced or the heartbreaking trauma of the child refugees who had to relocate to unfamiliar surroundings. While the narrative is dense with details, chime tones in the recording help separate factual sidebars from the personal memoirs of the survivors.
(Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781338605327
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life.
Fourteen-year-old Tessa lives in a dystopian world with a leader who has banned books and taken away the personal liberties of its citizens. Elise Arsenault establishes a steady pace with her narration. When an older neighbor is taken to elder care, Tessa finds a box of forbidden books in her house that changes everything. Arsenault captures Tessa’s tumultuous emotions as she learns about the past and discovers that her long-lost twin brother, Theo, who disappeared years ago, may still be alive. Fans of Lowry’s The Giver will be intrigued by this world, one that feels frighteningly plausible.
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life. (Dystopian. 9-12)Pub Date: yesterday
Duration: 5 hrs, 49 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063515130
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
Through Andromeda’s story, young listeners will learn more about the justice system and their rights.
Fifth grader Andromeda Diaz is concerned about her friend, Benji, who has been accused of stealing a valuable watch and is now facing charges. Andi, the daughter of two public defenders, doesn’t believe he committed the crime, and she works to figure out what really happened. Author Almanza, who was herself a public defender, performs her own work enthusiastically. Her narration style is casual, at times not quite nailing the rhythm of the text. While she’s not a professional narrator, her knowledge of the legal process shines through.
Through Andromeda’s story, young listeners will learn more about the justice system and their rights. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 11 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217352364
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
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