Hector and Mando visit Hector's Uncle Julio for a change of pace and for the experience of seeing a little of the world beyond East LA. Narrator Anthony Perez is terrific as he captures the fun-loving but sometimes bickering boys, as well as Uncle Julio, who is going on his first date "in a long time." The guys accompany Julio on an old airplane as he takes aerial pictures of a farm. That's when they observe an armored truck robbery and are featured as eyewitnesses in a newspaper article. Soon the robbers are after the duo. Perez deftly recreates the excited boys and the hapless thieves as they try to outmaneuver each other. The clever and realistic conclusion is perfect—and fun.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2012
Duration: 2 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780792786894
Publisher: AudioGo
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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