Stories involving brilliant loner kids with Asperger's-like characteristics are as ubiquitous in young adult literature these days as zombies, wizards, and dystopias. Robin Miles uses the precise, well-enunciated voice one expects in a character who is more comfortable with science than emotion, but the voice she employs sounds too old to belong to the black, adopted protagonist, 12-year old Willow Chance. Even the loss of the only people who love and accept her as the unique person she is brings no feeling to the story. Miles uses the same voice for the chapters that Willow does not narrate, an unfortunate choice as those chapters could have infused some emotion into the story.
(Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Penguin 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
Author Daniel Nayeri voices his story of a grandmother who is guiding her grandchild through the steps of weaving a traditional Persian rug. The eager child tells the story with an eye toward creating the perfect rug, but Grandma encourages her young assistant to recognize that perfection is not the goal. Instead, the rug needs to be right for its purpose. Young listeners unfamiliar with Persian rug designs who read the print edition alongside this audiobook will benefit from seeing its vivid watercolor illustrations. But all listeners will hear what Nayeri's warm tones clearly convey. This sweet family story is told with Nayeri's affection for his culture and its intergenerational traditions.
(Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 25, 2025
Duration: 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217156924
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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