This award-winning, captivating history makes a wonderful transition to audio because of Alan Bomar Jones’s performance. Jones delivers the historical background and the quotes of well-known leaders in factual tones and adds poignancy to the stories of interviewees who were young activists during Alabama’s Civil Rights struggles in 1965. Jones’s varied tones portray the immense emotional swings of events—from the pride of the Selma march to the terror of the violence meted out by state troopers on Bloody Sunday. A particular strength of the audio comes in Jones’s rich renditions of the music that united and gave strength to the frightened youth. Also included are a note read by the author and the powerful photographs from the book.
Ages 10+Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2011
Duration: 2 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781441868817
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Jeff Harding voices the many impactful moments of 1919 in this engaging nonfiction audiobook. From women activists fighting for the right to vote to the Red Scare and civil rights riots, Sandler draws parallels to today's social issues. Harding matches 1919's cadence with a forward-moving pace. He uses different accents for quotations, though the women and people of color might have been better served with a diverse cast. The asides and timelines that appear in the text also are in the audio. Full of fascinating stories put into a modern context, this audiobook offers much to learn about an eventful year and ponders the big questions of our current time.
(Nonfiction. 11-16)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Orchestral music filled with the chirping of birds fades into the background as narrator John Pruden begins the story of Central Park in New York City. The two winners of the 1858 design contest, Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, set out their vision on a ten-foot-long schematic of the new park they called The Greensward. Bubbling fountains, a myriad of bridges, and a skating park were on display, followed by the ungroomed Ramble, and, finally, the children's section. Pruden sets a brisk clip and in unassuming voice lets the story speak for itself. The rumbles of construction, excited voices, and additional orchestration provide background for young listeners. The production concludes with further information about Central Park and its creators.
(Informational picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2019
Duration: 23 mins
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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