A teenager's struggles to break free from the denial his family has lived in for years: denial about Paul's mysterious accident, which causes him to wear thick glasses; denial about his father's overwhelming interest in his older brother's football stardom while completely neglecting Paul's life; denial of the futility of his mother's constant efforts to "fit in" and make them all appear normal to the outside world. But when Paul enrolls in Tangerine Middle School, he is given a chance to be someone completely unique for the first time. Told in the first person by Paul, this is a thought-provoking, yet highly readable and entertaining story. Narrator Ramon de Ocampo conveys what it's like to be a teenager, a person with almost no power over his own life, yet full of his own strong beliefs about how things should be. He gives Paul an optimistic voice, making him come across as extremely likable, a person ready to learn and grow from life's experiences. D.G. 2002 YALSA Selection (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Lawrence enthusiastically portrays Cora and her friends in this fast-paced historical-fiction adventure.
Narrator Emily Lawrence creates a determined voice for Cora, who is desperately trying to survive the tragic 1906 earthquake in San Francisco with her two friends Chi and Oliver. Lawrence captures Cora’s tumultuous emotions as she and Chi are buried in rubble following the disaster and saved by her forbidden friend Oliver. Despite the bitter feud between their parents, Cora and Oliver work together to try to find her family as fire keeps spreading throughout their beloved city, all while running from bullies who are after Cora. Lawrence makes each character unique and adds a slight Irish accent for Oliver.
Lawrence enthusiastically portrays Cora and her friends in this fast-paced historical-fiction adventure. (Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798225033521
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Ladji’s appealing performance gives an extra spark as both girl and horse rise from those mythical ashes.
Emma Ladji brings empathy and authenticity to this tale of a kid whose life blows up when her dad cheats with her best friend’s mom. Harper and her mom move to a new town and into a teeny house next to a barn. Although Harper has no particular interest in horses, that changes when a kill truck dumps a neglected, almost-dead horse in her yard. As Harper finds a new purpose in saving her horse—whom she names Phoenix, of course—she connects with her barn neighbors. Ladji has fun creating voices for the quirky and diverse group—fiery little Emma, Puerto Rican Dante, and Night, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns.
Ladji’s appealing performance gives an extra spark as both girl and horse rise from those mythical ashes. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280902
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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