Narrator Cindy Kay takes listeners inside the world of 12-year-old Louise, who lives with her mother in a truck. Although she has a beautiful singing voice, Lou has undiagnosed sensory processing disorder (SPD), which makes it difficult for her to endure the live performances her mother signs her up for. Unexpected sounds and physical contact are painful for Lou. Kay gives Lou a breathy, soft voice reflecting her vulnerability and sensitivity while her mom sounds pushy and oblivious. When Child Protective Services sends Lou to live with her aunt and uncle, she struggles to adjust, but with help from new friends and supportive adults, she learns ways to manage her SPD. Kay's sympathetic portrayal evokes hope in this uplifting audiobook.
(Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797112732
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ken Coleman's expertise as a baseball announcer enriches this history of the Boston Red Sox since the sale of Babe Ruth to the N.Y. Yankees. He leads off with a grim account of this transaction, which started the curse that has plagued the Red Sox ever since. The sermon-like tone will amuse non-believers and comfort listeners who are certain the team is cursed. Like the ups and downs of Boston's play through the years, the narrator's voice fluctuates--exuberant and then despondent--in tone and tempo accurately reflecting the mood of any given baseball season. The narrator is very successful at conveying the emotional roller coaster ride Red Sox fans have endured as a result of the curse of the Bambino.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A relatable and heartwarming story given an extra kick by Meskimen’s fine performance.
Taylor Meskimen perfectly captures the sweet, confused teen at the center of this novel. Grace is laser focused on winning “Eighth-Grade Top Scholar,” and she gets a bit lost when she misses by the smallest of margins. She spends the summer plowing through a to-do list she develops with her sister and cousin: Make a new friend, take a writing class, run with a boy she likes, babysit her father’s girlfriend’s young son. Nothing goes to plan but all prove to be opportunities to find her place in the world. Meskimen’s narration expresses the joy of a first kiss, the angst of being misunderstood, and the physical pain of shin splints.
A relatable and heartwarming story given an extra kick by Meskimen’s fine performance. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: April 14, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 29 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217409839
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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