Narrator Greta Jung fills her voice with the intense anger and anguish of Junie Kim. Junie feels like she's drowning in the racist environment of her suburban Maryland middle school. As if the bully on her bus weren't enough, the school is repeatedly vandalized with slurs that anger and frighten her diverse group of friends, especially when their concerns are met with shouts of "fake news" by fellow students. Jung crafts distinct voices for Junie's friends and family as Junie slips into clinical depression. For a school assignment, Junie interviews her grandparents about their childhood during the Korean War, and their grisly, heartbreaking stories compose half of the audiobook. Jung and the author pull no punches on the terrors of racism, depression, and war.
(Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063085459
Publisher: Harper Audio
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
Edwards gives a soulful performance.
Young Juniper visits her grandmother's house, where Grandma tells her about their ancestors from Africa and their practice of hoodoo. Together, Juniper and Grandma tend to the garden, go for walks in the woods, attend church, create herb-filled mojo bags, and visit the cemetery to place offerings for their ancestors, whom Grandma says are always with them. Narrator Janina Edwards conveys Grandma’s wisdom with an earthy and relaxed narration, expressing a clear connection with the natural world, a refuge for both of them. Edwards also handily portrays Juniper's sense of wonder as she navigates this spiritual connection, inspiring listeners to pay attention to the world around them.
Edwards gives a soulful performance. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 13 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349168703
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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