Thirteen-year-old Piper is an orphan who struggles to survive by scavenging, repairing, and reselling artifacts from other worlds. Narrator Kim Mai Guest does an excellent job evoking Piper’s tenacity—not only to survive but also to one day get herself out of the lowly scrap town where she lives and make something of her life. Opportunity comes when Piper rescues a mysterious girl, Anna, and sets out to return her to the capital of the neighboring Dragonfly Territories. The breathy, somewhat ethereal tone Guest uses to portray Anna perfectly matches the scatterbrained, timid girl. Guest pulls listeners into the treacherous adventure as the girls are pursued by a dangerous man bent on seizing them. A suspenseful narration and a vaguely steampunk-inspired world make this a fun listen.
Ages 10+Pub Date: March 25, 2014
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780804167079
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.
AGES 8+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
