Narrator Jennifer Sun Bell deftly portrays a believable grieving family through the voice of seventh grader Freya June Sun. Bell's brisk pacing matches the short, active chapters recounting the events that take place after the recent death of Freya's father. Freya, a talented violist, adheres strictly to her father's Chinese superstitions and is constantly seeking signs or omens of his posthumous approval. Whenever she encounters what she believes to be bad omens, Bell conveys Freya's anxiety. Bell's youthful voice is well suited to Freya, as well as her often sulky older sister; their mother, who sounds equal parts kind and tired; and Bell's perky friend, Gus Choi. Though the family is grieving, the story's tone stays upbeat as the solid bonds of family and friendship hold fast.
(Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2024
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781666653601
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Powerful listening.
Four narrators personalize the tragedy of Houston’s 2017 Hurricane Harvey through the viewpoints of three struggling teens. Sunil Malhotra depicts Pakistani American Yasir’s many facets—his determination to succeed at soccer, his barely controlled rage about racism, his sadness about his father’s death, and his deep fear of drowning. Nikhaar Kashnani portrays South Asian American Mona. Weighed down by caring for her young brother, she loses herself in art and dreads her recurring nightmare about a flood. Josh Hurley renders Cody’s cruel, racist bullying as well as his fear of the dark, a result of being abused by his father. Christopher Salazar enthusiastically delivers interstitial news bulletins. When flooding from Harvey makes them face their worst fears, the resilient threesome’s separate stories come together and they support each other’s bravery.
Powerful listening.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063389557
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
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