Narrator Bahni Turpin embraces every emotional moment in this inspiring story for middle-grade science and IT enthusiasts. Maya's excitement to start fifth grade in a "science fair year" quickly fades when her two best friends move to a different teacher's class. Struggling with loneliness and self-doubt, she finds everything discouraging--until she discovers a homemade robot named Ralph. With Ralph's support, and that of her family and community, she learns to work through difficulties, be herself, and stay true to her passions. Turpin's spirited first-person narration perfectly expresses Maya's creative energy--whether she's filled with joy or crying tears of sadness and frustration. Overall, Turpin infuses the diverse characters, including Ralph, with distinct and relatable personalities, creating a memorable listening experience.
(Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: July 13, 2021
Duration: 4 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593411322
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A fresh, dynamic interpretation of Woodson's poetry.
Woodson originally narrated her memoir in 2014, and this updated production features a lively chorus of voices, a new bonus chapter, and testimonies about the legacy of Brown Girl Dreaming. The audiobook opens with spare guitar music, and Woodson narrates her new, emotion-filled introduction. The chorus—Denée Benton, Marley Dias, Dominique Fishback, Big Freedia, Montego Glover, Nicole Ari Parker, Tika Sumpter, and Lena Waithe—then jumps in, each contributor delivering one poem and passing the mic to another voice for the next. The variety of voices adds a little spice, as their narration styles are very different from one another. Snappy musical interludes by Toshi Reagon feature before each section.
A fresh, dynamic interpretation of Woodson's poetry. (Memoir/poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 11 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217175611
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
Morris delivers a charmingly relatable performance.
Cassandra Lee Morris captures the joys—and horrors—of seventh grade with her enthusiastic narration. Sadie is starting middle school along with her lifelong best friend, Olive. But when Sadie is accidentally added to the group chat for her grade's elite clique, she starts to feel that maybe one friend isn't enough. Morris perfectly captures the judgmental flippancy of a self-conscious seventh grade girl as Sadie attempts to hold onto her friendship with Olive. With careful intonation, Morris delivers every permutation of "LOL" in the text exchanges and conveys all the awkward feelings and nerve-wracking moments that Sadie experiences.
Morris delivers a charmingly relatable performance. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 37 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063456037
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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