This rediscovered gem from 1977 comes from prolific, three-time Newbery Honor winner Gary Paulsen. It's the first-person account of an unnamed 15-year-old who leaves his uncle's farm and goes in search of "life, sex, and what it means to be a man." He ends up joining a group of migrant workers on a beet farm, where the work is drudgery and the boss is sadistic. Running away again, he settles into the somewhat sordid life of a carnival, where he works with "T-John," of the book's title. Todd Haberkorn brings a wide-eyed innocence to the voice of the youth. Listeners will wish Haberkorn would just keep going, telling us more tales about this kid's coming-of-age. Even though the story involves graphic violence, Haberkorn makes this idealistic boy into a friend listeners will miss as soon as he stops talking.
Ages 10+Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2012
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781469241326
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Lemony Snicket, who became known for challenging listeners’ vocabularies in his Series of Unfortunate Events, chooses 13 seemingly random words and arranges them into the story of a “despondent” bird and a dog who tries to cheer his friend by visiting a “haberdashery” to buy a hat with “panache.” Michael Emerson’s intonations and phrasing allow listeners to picture characters and settings even without Maira Kalman's illustrations. He encourages listeners to savor the sounds of words as the author intended. Who wouldn’t buy a hat from a breathy sales-baby who describes “panache” as “a kind of verve or swagger”? In an amazing artistic interpretation, Snicket’s final word, “mezzo-soprano,” becomes an opera of the book, created by real-life composer Nico Muhly.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2010
Duration: 6 mins
DD ISBN: 9781443404433
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Author and narrator Enrique Flores-Galbis is a master of duality in this nuanced story of the Cuban revolution. His writing and narration are superb. In both, his humble style of storytelling is arresting. When revolution comes to Cuba, Julian is just a boy. He doesn’t even know what a revolution is. In leaving Cuba and losing his family, Julian finds new ways in which he’s both vulnerable and strong. Flores-Galbis’s voice embodies the contradictions of Julian’s experience. We hear that vulnerability in a soft, almost hesitant, voice; underneath is a quiet confidence. The pacing ebbs and flows as naturally as the tide between Havana and Miami as Julian figures out what is right and determines to do his part to help.
Ages 10+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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