As a number of seeds blow in the autumn wind, one tiny seed floats behind the rest. "Will it be able to keep up with the others? And where are they all going?" Narrator Jennifer Jiles establishes both a tone of wonder and a sense of character. Throughout the book, Eric Carle's collages and story cover a lot of territory--multiple habitats, four seasons, the life cycle of seeds, and the threats of a hungry bird, a "big, fat weed," and a careless human. Jiles's fluid narration balances science and story, the book's concepts and its character. The tiny seed endures and by book's end is "a big and beautiful flower" that releases its own seeds, completing a circle easily understood by young children.
Ages 4-6Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 9 mins
Publisher: Weston Woods Studios
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A heartfelt audiobook for the entire family to enjoy.
With a youthful voice, Jeff Ebner brings much emotion to this realistic middle-grade novel. Ten-year-old Nathan Savage is consumed with worry that the gigantic pile of trash across the street from his home is about to collapse. He’s even more worried that his father, who works at the top of said pile, is in extreme danger. It’s up to Nathan to devise a flawless plan to save the day. Ebner’s fast-paced, energetic narration moves the action along, engaging young listeners to the very last word.
A heartfelt audiobook for the entire family to enjoy. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280445
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
An inspiring listen for budding environmentalists and for kids who love nature and science.
Kirby Heyborne narrates this hopeful exploration of why birds are so important to the planet in a tone of gentle amazement. Chapters focus on different ecosystems around the world and the crucial roles birds play in them, along with warnings about what might happen to those ecosystems (and to us) if the birds disappear. Young listeners learn about bird species that have gone extinct, often because of human activity, and about the groundbreaking conservation work people are doing today. Heyborne expertly delivers the many facts and conveys the author’s humor, but a periodic xylophone trill that indicates what might be a sidebar in the print book is intrusive.
An inspiring listen for budding environmentalists and for kids who love nature and science. (Nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668658031
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: March 25, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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