“This whole book’s a poem,” Lonnie says. And it is. Jacqueline Woodson’s poetry unfolds in the story of Lonnie Collins Motion (Locomotion). Lonnie is in fifth grade. His teacher, Ms. Marcus, tells him he has a “poet’s heart.” In a series of haiku, sonnets, epistles, and occasion poems, Lonnie’s poetry remembers the smell of his mother’s honeysuckle talc, shells clicking in a pretty girl’s braids, and yellow curtains on his sister’s window. Narrator JD Jackson is splendid reading Lonnie’s unself-conscious, revealing poems. Jackson creates a believable 11-year-old whose innocence is tinged with too much knowing. The terrible loss of Lonnie’s parents, his deep love for his little sister, and his growing awareness of racial inequity are all enhanced by Jackson’s performance. Woodson’s novel-in-verse is well worth hearing.
(Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2003
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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