Robb Moreira summons a mythic tone for this original spinoff of the Aztec creation story. In Higuera's story, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl's lesser-known brother, Xolotl, recounts "what really happened." Xolo has a dog's head, paws, and, most importantly, a love of humankind. Moreira's declamatory tones suit the epic nature of the story but also sometimes flatten the nuances of Higuera's characterizations. Listeners who don't seek out the print edition to accompany the audiobook will miss illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson's strikingly stylized figures, colorfully lush design, and critical narrative detail that's often communicated only in the illustrations. Those who do read and listen will occasionally find themselves zooming past wordless sequences that demand close attention. Both otherworldly and sweet--and perhaps best enjoyed in print.
(Mythology. 7-10)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9798899735035
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: yesterday
A full cast dramatizes Janey's fourth-grade year, during which she's homeschooled aboard her parents' sailboat as they travel the Caribbean. There's much Janey likes about their peripatetic life, but she misses regular school, especially Rae, her best friend from third grade. But when they anchor in St. Thomas, she meets Astrid, a slightly older--and slightly dangerous--girl who lives aboard her family's boat. Terrific sound design immerses listeners in Janey's seagoing life, while solid casting creates fully realized characters. Ashley J. Hobbs and Rachel Jacobs, as Astrid and Rae, are good foils for Jesse Vilinsky's energetic Janey, who is growing more aware of the world around her. Based on the author's own experiences, the story is as messy and absorbing as real life.
(Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 2 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781546173632
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Yoinks! Prepare to get "meta" with this hilarious mash-up of comics, prose, poetry, and real-life author rivalry. In a thinly disguised reference to themselves, award-winning authors/narrators Jerry Craft and Kwame Alexander portray fifth-grade rivals who plan to compete in their school's annual story contest. K is a writer; J is a comic book artist. You can probably guess the outcome, but along the way, you'll be entertained with snorts, laughs, music, sound effects, and the continuous interruptions of the authors, who don't just break the fourth wall, they batter it down. Kids may not get all the puns, literary shout-outs, and even an interstellar reference, but listeners will hear that these rivals (both real and fictional!) are having a great time.
(Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668648841
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: yesterday
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