Rasputin. Nicholas and Alexandra. Lenin. Anastasia. Gloria Whelan weaves these distinguished Russians into a compelling story that provides middle school listeners with a glimpse of tumultuous Russia from 1913 to 1918. Through the eyes of Katya, the daughter of Empress Alexandra's lady-in-waiting, the listener experiences the forces that change her courtly life into one of searching for "real freedom" in St. Petersburg. Julie Dretzin gives voice to Katya with a light and gentle touch. As Katya's life is enveloped by the royal family, Dretzin mirrors her wonder at the opulence surrounding her and her naïveté about the growing unrest. When Katya and her mother return to the cottage of their former servants, Dretzin expresses the wisdom that both enriches and saddens Katya's life.
Ages 10+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2003
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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