Narrator Soneela Nankani returns to voice seventh grader Amina, whom listeners met in AMINA'S VOICE. Nankani's sweet voice perfectly matches Amina, who spends a thrilling summer vacation visiting family in Pakistan and is bursting to share details with her friends at home. She's disappointed to discover they aren't that interested. And when she makes a class presentation on Malala Yousafzai, everyone focuses on the scary parts of the story, rather than Malala's strengths. While clearly differentiating each character, Nankani helps listeners feel Amina's longing to help others see beyond the stereotypes of her family and their country. When the story comes to a close, Amina's voice reflects her growing confidence as she discovers a passion for songwriting, and other bold ways to honor her heritage.
(Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: March 9, 2021
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781797117928
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
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
A sensitive performance.
Deepa is a precocious 12-year-old girl in remission from leukemia. Under the tutelage of her uncle, a house call doctor, she becomes involved in solving teen tennis player Taio's puzzling medical mystery. Deepa is unsure of herself, but she’s ready to get back to middle school after a year away for treatment. Narrator Soneela Nankani depicts Deepa's desire to be more than the "sick kid" while navigating her youthful insecurities and the social challenges of middle school. Nankani also ably portrays Deepa's growing confidence in herself as she uses her own experience with illness to help figure out what’s wrong with Taio.
A sensitive performance. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 32 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668182833
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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