Brenna Larsen tenderly narrates this story about love, loss, and the enduring power of art. Bex and her tight-lipped brother, Davey, are content to spend time mostly with each other, exploring the marshes of their island home. When a drought uncovers a previously submerged statue, they fixate on solving the mystery of its origin in order to stop a development project from destroying the marsh. Larsen imbues Bex's voice with sweet sincerity as she navigates the frightening prospect of ongoing change in her life. As the mystery deepens, the sharp-eared listener will notice that Davey's infrequently heard voice becomes more and more like Bex's own. Larsen also gives each of the supporting characters a distinct tone that rounds out this quietly moving audio.
(Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2023
Duration: 4 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant.
Samara Naeymi beautifully narrates this middle-grade novel about an Iranian American girl. Bullied by her classmates for her frizzy hair and thick eyebrows and criticized by her mother for her weight, Yasmin struggles to be her authentic self in a world that tells her she's not good enough. There are many different perspectives in this story, and Naeymi is true to each: Yasmin’s judgmental mother, with her Persian accent and steely belief in her own harsh parenting; the ruthless teenagers whose hurtful comments cause emotional harm; the younger brother concerned for his sister's unhappiness; and the tried-and-true best friend.
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 51 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349114861
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2026
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