Joshua Manning narrates the medieval Scottish tale of the fierce, young heroine Drest, who must rescue her family from a castle prison after they're taken by knights. To get herself to the castle, she takes along a young knight, who at first is her captive. Drest has to muster her courage and use the abilities that her war-band family has taught her along the way. When she thinks of how her brothers and father would advise her in various situations, Manning creates a distinct voice for each of them. He uses the Scots accent with restraint and doesn't let it intrude on the listening experience. Manning portrays characters the listener can connect with, creating a memorable listening experience.
(Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525531333
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.
AGES 8+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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