Tavia Gilbert brings the denizens of Milkweed Meadow to listeners' ears in this middle-grade animal fantasy. Butternut the rabbit comes from a family of storytellers, so she is well suited to tell the tale of the titular rescue. However, she must buck her family's wariness of cross-species relations and her own anxiety, which manifests as metaphorical mental "brambles." Gilbert's sensitive evocation of Butternut's interior journey sees the young rabbit traveling from timorousness to resolve with total believability. As for the other characters, a stouthearted robin named Piper and his family speak in a brisk English accent, and a fawn named Winsome has an Irish lilt. Gilbert uses a generalized American accent for most of the rest, individuating even the many members of Butternut's large family.
(Fiction. 6-10)Pub Date: 2024
Duration: 3 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781955324496
Publisher: Full Cast Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In her clear, expressive voice, bilingual narrator M.L. Sanchez tells the exciting story of mouse siblings Vida and Máximo. The town of Moustepec was once happy, but the threat of a cat forces residents to stay home. There are no more fiestas, no more fireworks, and no more music. When a scary encounter with the cat results in Vida's dream about a fantastical creature called an alebrije, it inspires a plan to get rid of the cat once and for all with the help of the whole town. An extensive author's note offers a history of the Mexican tradition of the alebrije; another note reveals the story's inspiration. Sanchez's pacing adds to this enjoyable adventure for young listeners.
(Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Duration: 12 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349108686
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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: Nov. 4, 2025
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9798899735035
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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