Narrator Catherine Taber's Southern accent conjures up the small Alabama town where Nelle Harper Lee and Truman Capote met as children. Taber's accent intensifies, and her timbre becomes youthful as she embodies the two young people. At the story's opening, Taber portrays tomboy Nelle with a roughness that makes it perfectly believable when Tru first mistakes her for a boy. Nelle's first impression of Tru is based on his soft tones, sailor suit, and scent of soap from New Orleans. Despite the tough start, deftly reflected in Taber's performance, the two strike up a friendship. As the duo investigates mysteries and stands up to the town bullies, Taber evokes the familiar characters as well as the menace and tenderness of Lee's later book, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
(Historical fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780735207394
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life.
Fourteen-year-old Tessa lives in a dystopian world with a leader who has banned books and taken away the personal liberties of its citizens. Elise Arsenault establishes a steady pace with her narration. When an older neighbor is taken to elder care, Tessa finds a box of forbidden books in her house that changes everything. Arsenault captures Tessa’s tumultuous emotions as she learns about the past and discovers that her long-lost twin brother, Theo, who disappeared years ago, may still be alive. Fans of Lowry’s The Giver will be intrigued by this world, one that feels frighteningly plausible.
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life. (Dystopian. 9-12)Pub Date: yesterday
Duration: 5 hrs, 49 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063515130
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
Through Andromeda’s story, young listeners will learn more about the justice system and their rights.
Fifth grader Andromeda Diaz is concerned about her friend, Benji, who has been accused of stealing a valuable watch and is now facing charges. Andi, the daughter of two public defenders, doesn’t believe he committed the crime, and she works to figure out what really happened. Author Almanza, who was herself a public defender, performs her own work enthusiastically. Her narration style is casual, at times not quite nailing the rhythm of the text. While she’s not a professional narrator, her knowledge of the legal process shines through.
Through Andromeda’s story, young listeners will learn more about the justice system and their rights. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 11 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217352364
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
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