With meticulous diction and heartfelt passion, Ruffin Prentiss narrates a timely story that brings multiple critical social issues together in a riveting presentation. Just as he's about to get a coveted basketball scholarship for college, Ossie Brown's life is upended when he falls on the court and tears his ACL. As he tries to reinvent himself as a writer and scholar, the predominantly white affluent population of his school starts to fight against its "woke" reading list. Events escalate from there. Prentiss uses tone to build intensity as the situation heats up, and his variations in pitch and accent help listeners immerse themselves in the story. Prentiss narrates both the tender and heated moments with skill that will keep listeners engaged.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: July 8, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798897563517
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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