Narrator Leah Horowitz allows listeners to bask in the rhythms of Schmidt's writing and be moved by the story of two vulnerable teens. Meryl Lee is grieving the death of her best friend after his sudden accident. Horowitz embodies the lonely-lost feelings Meryl Lee labels "The Blank" so clearly that listeners feel her deeper hurt when her parents send her away to a school where the girls around her seem pretentious. Horowitz describes a different view of this feeling in Meryl Lee's friend Matt, who is fleeing a violent past. The uniting figure in this story is Dr. MacKnockater, a teacher at Meryl Lee's school who takes in Matt. Horowitz gets her Scottish accent, wisdom, strength, and kindness just right.
(Historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Rey’s timeless performance makes this medieval adventure fascinating, frightening, and fun.
Elena Rey holds listeners’ attention firmly in her grasp with her narration of this middle-grade historical fiction. Twelve-year-old Blanca is chosen by her grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, to marry the prince of France. As Blanca travels from Spain, she learns lessons about how to be a queen from Eleanor and lessons about life from the difficult journey. Rey voices young Blanca, Queen Eleanor, and various male characters with equal aplomb. Eleanor sounds imperious and aged; Blanca is assuredly royal yet a still preteen; and the knights are chivalrous, pompous, and a bit overzealous. Rey’s royal harrumphs and sniffs and childish scoffs and whines add to the enjoyable soundscape.
Rey’s timeless performance makes this medieval adventure fascinating, frightening, and fun. (Historical fiction. 9-14)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 51 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217287901
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: tomorrow
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026
Lawrence enthusiastically portrays Cora and her friends in this fast-paced historical-fiction adventure.
Narrator Emily Lawrence creates a determined voice for Cora, who is desperately trying to survive the tragic 1906 earthquake in San Francisco with her two friends Chi and Oliver. Lawrence captures Cora’s tumultuous emotions as she and Chi are buried in rubble following the disaster and saved by her forbidden friend Oliver. Despite the bitter feud between their parents, Cora and Oliver work together to try to find her family as fire keeps spreading throughout their beloved city, all while running from bullies who are after Cora. Lawrence makes each character unique and adds a slight Irish accent for Oliver.
Lawrence enthusiastically portrays Cora and her friends in this fast-paced historical-fiction adventure. (Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798225033521
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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