Fans of Dick King-Smith's animal tales, including BABE, will delight at this newest story about Henrietta Hickathrift who runs away from home--that's the old folks home. On her 75th birthday, Henny takes off for an English seaside town. Through June Whitfield's perfect narration we're introduced to the Goode family of five red-headed children, who adopt Henny. Each child has a distinctive voice, and children's voices are devilish to get just right. With astute timing and nuance Whitfield conveys the simple pleasures, the growing bond between Henny and the family, and the delight Henny gets from her new life. The story is a family treasure, and Whitfield just makes it more so.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1997
Duration: 2 hrs, 6 mins
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A moving, compelling story about family, connection, and resilience featuring an unforgettable protagonist.
This story, which alternates between prose and poetry and letters, is an emotional, powerful listen. Thirteen-year-old Dasia is on Day 19 of induction chemotherapy after a life-changing diagnosis. Author Stone perfectly captures Dasia's fear, uncertainty, anger, and loneliness. After a particularly rough day, Dasia wakes up to find fellow patient Jameson “Jimmy” Jeffs in her room. Despite everything that makes them different—wealth, family dynamics, geography, opportunity, etc.—over the course of one night, they discover all the things that they have in common and form an unbreakable bond. The poetry sections are particularly moving as Dasia deals with the loss of her father, her brother's incarceration, and her complicated home life while trying to find strength and hold on to hope.
A moving, compelling story about family, connection, and resilience featuring an unforgettable protagonist. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 58 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217351503
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
Catch up with the Miller family through the voice of the youngest child.
Keylor Leigh narrates this fifth and final novel in the Miller Family series, this time focusing on the youngest family member, 10-year-old Poppy. Still grieving the death of her father, Poppy is facing a Thanksgiving with lots of changes in the people around her—her brother, Billy, is returning from college; her lovelorn sister, Sal, is rebelling; and her mother has a new male friend. Luckily, Poppy has her art to help her cope. Leigh takes Poppy through these challenges with a youthful voice filled with exasperation, desperation, anticipation, and, always, love. Leigh ably conveys Sal's sarcasm and portrays Billy’s coming-of-age.
Catch up with the Miller family through the voice of the youngest child. (Fiction. 6-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 4 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063517196
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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