Kim Mai Guest’s precise, soft reading sets a mood in which magic and reality meet. Shy Pinmei lives far up a mountain with Amah, her wise, storytelling grandmother. Guest’s gentle tone fits both Pinmei’s timidity and their quiet life. But Guest’s voice grows harsh when the ruthless emperor and his soldiers burst in and capture Amah. Her release will occur only in exchange for the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. So begins Pinmei’s brave mission with her neighbor, Yishan. Her storytelling gift and bravery grow, measured by Guest’s strengthening voice. Guest gracefully voices the author’s elegant prose and weaves a wealth of bejeweled folktales into three entwined stories—the adventurers’ quest, the imprisoned Amah, and the suffering of Black Tortoise of Winter. A wonderful fable for family listening.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781478912545
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Kelly’s kaleidoscopic voice draws listeners in.
Caitlin Kelly narrates the start of a new children’s fantasy animal series from a powerhouse author. After losing their home to a mysterious fire, cat sisters Willow and Luna stumble upon secretive animals with the ability to communicate with them despite being different species. This means that the sisters are “attuned” and have magical abilities. Luna can control fire, but Willow struggles to realize her own gift. Kelly easily differentiates a wide cast of animal characters. And as Willow and Luna witness their new world clash with human witches, Kelly adds emotional intensity that matches the highly dramatic situations the animals find themselves in.
Kelly’s kaleidoscopic voice draws listeners in. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: May 19, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063449558
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
Sanderlin brings gravitas to the story’s most serious scenes while adding humor to its frequent moments of whimsy.
Mark Sanderlin tells this middle-grade story as the Royal Chronicler, an unnamed adult at an entertaining scholarly remove from the adventures of the main characters. Eleven-year-old Olly leaves his younger sister, Jenny, at home when he reluctantly goes out to find work, a necessity for kids in their struggling community. Their bleak reality becomes more colorful when Olly’s first job ends up being at a secret refuge for endangered dragons, and when Jenny develops magical powers. As they stumble into a quest to save the fantastical species, Olly and Jenny’s dialogue sounds convincingly kidlike, a nice contrast with the chronicler’s news anchor-style delivery of the rest of the prose.
Sanderlin brings gravitas to the story’s most serious scenes while adding humor to its frequent moments of whimsy. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 24 mins
DD ISBN: 9798898850296
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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