Narrator Patryce Williams creates a passionate voice for 11-year-old Ella, who will be the first Conjurer to attend the Arcanum Training Institute now that the ban against them has been deemed unlawful. She's determined to fit in, make new friends, find mentors, and join the Marvellian community, despite the doubters. When her teacher goes missing, Ella and two friends, Brigit and Jason, must find the truth behind his disappearance and the evil that lurks at the school. Williams navigates Ella's emotions with ease, especially her determination. Listeners will enjoy this fresh take on a new fantastical world in which kids play an active role in determining the future of society.
(Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250831668
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
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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