Allan Corduner’s deep voice pairs well with the graceful, intelligent prose in this mesmerizing account of a girl whose life in Krakow, Poland, is altered forever by the encroaching horror of WWII. Seven years old when her father, a professor, is taken by the Nazis and too young to fend for herself, Anna is taken under the wing of the Swallow Man, an enigmatic stranger who teaches her “the ways of the road.” Crisscrossing the countryside, hiding from Germans, Russians, and Poles, the two oddly matched yet infinitely well-suited travelers are joined for a time by a Jewish musician, whose firmly held beliefs of right and wrong set the stage for an exploration of the morality of self-preservation. Corduner’s elegant, discreet voicing and measured pacing keep listeners focused on the three main characters in a wrenching coming-of-age story that will appeal to adults as well as thoughtful mature teens.
(Historical fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2016
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781101891827
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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