In a desperate attempt to save their culture, the alien Valorim people send a neck chain containing all their beauty into the cosmos, where it lands in the lunchbox of Tommy Pepper. Graham Winton deftly differentiates between the alternating chapters of Tommy and the Valorim. When Tommy wears the necklace, the Valorim culture slowly merges with his own. Graham Winton’s narration of Tommy’s casual acceptance of this new knowledge and his utter astonishment that no one understands him are spot-on. But, despite Winton’s admirable efforts with the Valorim chapters, the stilted text as well as the many made-up words and alien names leaves the listener guessing at meanings. All is revealed in an epilogue and glossary, but that’s too late when listening to an audiobook.
(Science fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781470339784
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The audiobook has the comforting, magical quality of an irresistible bedtime story.
Author/narrator Coelho’s bright, friendly first-person narration brings 12-year-old Relic Hamilton to life. When Relic encounters a dangerous genie in his grandfather’s antique shop, he leaves his ordinary London life behind for a supernatural adventure that transports him through history and around the globe. While the journey has thrills and scary moments, the characters always have hope—a central theme of the audiobook. Coelho brings variety to the voices of his other characters, like Relic’s grandfather’s “Jamaican-teacher voice” and the gravelly rumble of a pirate captain from the Age of Sail who sounds exactly like an archetypal pirate ought to.
The audiobook has the comforting, magical quality of an irresistible bedtime story. (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798349162169
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: March 25, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
A magical blending of fantasy and reality.
Narrator Emily Eiden's expressive rendition of Auden "Denny" Greene and her best friend Runa is feminine and childlike, suitable for a tale of girls on the cusp of turning 12. Denny and Runa manifest their active imaginations in a magical world they call Sorrowfeld, filled with dragons and princesses, but Denny is dismayed to find that Runa seems to be growing out of this world and into a new phase of her life. Denny, however, still needs the escapism of Sorrowfeld to cope with challenging circumstances in her real life—while in Sorrowfeld, Princess Auden struggles against actual dragons.
A magical blending of fantasy and reality. (Fantasy. 8-13)Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063348189
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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