by Emily Jenkins ; illustrated by Harry Bliss ; read by Michael Goldstrom ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2011
Hank’s parents own an ice cream shop, but his life is not all cherries on top. Listening to this quirky story, though, is sure to put a smile on listeners’ faces. Hank finds summer in the ice cream shop boring since his best friend moved away. He’s sure starting fourth grade alone will be terrible. And it’s worse than he expects. Once Hank gets on Bruno Gillicut’s bad side, he’s singled out and bullied thereafter. But it would all be worse if Hank hadn’t found Inkling, who quickly becomes a loyal friend, if eccentric and . . . invisible. Narrator Michael Goldstrom matches Inkling’s mysterious background with an ambiguously shifting accent. He colors Emily Jenkins’s clever story with enthusiasm that highlights the humor in every predicament.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2011
Duration: 2 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062104656
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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by Nicholas Day ; read by Maxwell Glick ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 8, 2026
Glick's animated delivery is a great match for this unique peek at a common but surprisingly enigmatic creature.
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Maxwell Glick narrates this nonfiction book about eels and scientific exploration with audible amusement and enthusiasm. Glick is humorously upbeat as he reveals how little we actually know about the threatened but once-ubiquitous eel. Young listeners will be able to imagine that they are eels and may be surprised to learn that for many years, people believed Aristotle’s theory that eels sprang spontaneously from mud. Author Day shares interesting tidbits, such as the fact that all American and European eels originate from and eventually return to the Sargasso Sea. But perhaps the most humbling fact is that scientists still don't know everything—especially when it comes to eels.
Glick's animated delivery is a great match for this unique peek at a common but surprisingly enigmatic creature. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
Duration: 20 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217352708
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
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by Dashka Slater ; read by Amy Jensen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 8, 2026
A thoughtful and surprisingly exciting real-life adventure tale about survival and community.
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In June 2023, an unknown person abandoned four pet rabbits in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Heights Park. Over the following weeks, neighbors of all ages came together to track and trap the bunnies. Narrator Amy Jensen seamlessly blends humor with a more serious tone as she guides listeners through the extensive rescue operation as well as the origins of the park, the history of rabbit domestication, and the backgrounds of the folks who spent long, tiring days crawling through ivy and scrub to bring the rabbits to safety. Jensen’s cheerful, child-friendly tones are informative and straightforward, including when she details the highs and lows of animal rescue beyond the immediate thrill of success.
A thoughtful and surprisingly exciting real-life adventure tale about survival and community. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 20 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668659199
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: today
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