Tavia Gilbert thoroughly conveys Maggie Steele's grief when her brother, Alex, dies in an accident. Gilbert beautifully delivers the detailed descriptions of Maggie's life at school and at home on her family's Kansas farm. Most engaging is Gilbert's portrayal of Maggie's spirited grandmother, who offers her understanding and comfort. As Maggie helps her dad with harvesting, she decides to train as a pole-vaulter to cope with her sorrow. When she meets opposition because she's female, her brother's spirit (a voice in her head) trains and encourages her. Gilbert's splendid portrayals of Maggie's real-life coach, teammates, and parents, as well as the P.A. announcements at her school, will thoroughly engage listeners.
Young AdultPub Date: March 31, 2015
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781483085432
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Eva Kaminsky gives this audiobook the respect it deserves as the author recounts the saga of the U.S. women's soccer team, whose players fought for an equal playing field through pay equity. Kaminsky clearly narrates with an interested tone, emotionally invested but never over the top. Every time she uses an accent in quoting someone, she does so with just the right touch; one example is her delivery of a British accent. The women faced resistance in their years-long fight, and Kaminsky brings their determination to the forefront with a solid narration. The audiobook is a great breakdown of what the team experienced, enhanced by Kaminsky's timing, especially when emphasizing the players' frustration.
(Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: July 9, 2024
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063220935
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
JB Adkins and Ramon de Ocampo share the narration of this dual-perspective story of two friends who are headed in very different directions. Bunny is a basketball star who left his local school’s team for his shot at a brighter future. Nasir is unmoored without Bunny, drifting into the orbit of his troubled cousin, Wallace. When Wallace starts gambling on the outcome of Bunny’s games, a collision seems inevitable. Adkins and de Ocampo make a great team for a story told in snappy alternating chapters. As Bunny, Adkins projects confidence that masks concern about the choices he’s making, while as Nasir, de Ocampo sounds wary and jittery by turns, never quite on solid ground. Together, the narrators create suspense that will draw the listener into the action.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 12, 2018
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781984828415
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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