Emily Woo Zeller's narration captures the blossoming of Ali Chu, the only Taiwanese-American in a very white Indiana high school. Zeller reveals Ali's wit and uses more reflective tones to show her internal frustration at years of microaggressions. Ali's frustration becomes anger when peers assume she'll date Chase, the new Taiwanese-American boy. Zeller eloquently depicts the pair's intellectual attraction, clever repartee and, finally, their romantic connection. She also portrays the dynamics of the confusing relationship Ali has with her domineering, secretive mother. Zeller maintains narrative flow while still honoring the author's decision to include untranslated Chinese, along with a Chinese folktale that is key to the story's ending. Most importantly she expresses Ali's path to speaking up about her feelings and speaking out against wrongs.
(Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2019
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781508299301
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
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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