Narrator Imani Parks is delightful in a story that emphasizes magic and baking--with recipes. At the age of 12, Kyana Turner learns she's a witch. Black Kyana lives with her hardworking mother and Creole grandmother, Memaw, who suffers from Alzheimer's. Enticing descriptions of the luscious food that the Memaw and Kyana prepare are mouthwatering. Parks's Kyana is endearing and determined, while Memaw's beautifully rendered kindness and wisdom make her the standout. Magic lessons are thrilling--even enlightening--but Kyana's relationships with her friends are strained because she must hide being a witch. The action mounts when the magic school loses its funding and Kyana uses both magic and baking skills to save it. In the exhilarating conclusion all the local kids pitch in to help.
(Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2022
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life.
Fourteen-year-old Tessa lives in a dystopian world with a leader who has banned books and taken away the personal liberties of its citizens. Elise Arsenault establishes a steady pace with her narration. When an older neighbor is taken to elder care, Tessa finds a box of forbidden books in her house that changes everything. Arsenault captures Tessa’s tumultuous emotions as she learns about the past and discovers that her long-lost twin brother, Theo, who disappeared years ago, may still be alive. Fans of Lowry’s The Giver will be intrigued by this world, one that feels frighteningly plausible.
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life. (Dystopian. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 49 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063515130
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
Simply marvelous.
Samuel West gives a riveting performance of this thrilling, action-packed adventure. When scholar Irian Guinne is kidnapped, Christopher and Anya, along with Jacques the dragon and Ratwin the ratatoska, embark on an odyssey across the Glimouria Archipelago to collect various magical objects and ransom Irian’s release. Christopher is also trying to master his new ability to connect directly to the minds of magical creatures. West doesn’t have a youthful voice, but he’s still completely convincing as the young characters, and he deftly captures every moment of humor, fear, peril, and wonder. In his telling, a dangerous race becomes breathless and impossible to pause, and the themes of love, bravery, and kindness ring true.
Simply marvelous. (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 4 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593830123
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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