Narrator Rachel Botchan's youthful voice gives credibility to a Jewish girl who shares the experiences of her family as they flee Paris at the opening of WWII. After an easy daily life of brioche and croissants, the children learn the ways of partisans living in the forest and eventually escape over the mountains to Spain and by sea to England. Botchan's pacing is brisk, and her elocution precise, permitting the action to unfold vividly--from the initial presence of the Brown Shirts and closed patisserie doors, to an existence in the forest with food from "nature's cupboard" and sleeping outdoors, and finally to a reunion with the stone angels of Paris. (Young listeners will surely welcome conversation about this story with an adult.)
(Picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781490683577
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
Ebner’s well-paced narration will engage listeners to the very end of this excellent audiobook.
Jeff Ebner's youthful, enthusiastic voice immediately pulls listeners into this fun-filled summer adventure. Eleven-year-old Felix and his neighbor, Marigold, find a mysterious wooden box that contains a field recorder and a coded message that subsequently sends them on a fantastically sound-filled scavenger hunt. The inclusion of actual sound effects—an ice cream truck’s jingle, a barking dog, bird song, and more—throughout the audiobook enhances the listening experience. The music, the voices, and the clues as Felix and Marigold run all over town are irresistible. The story’s conclusion features an unexpected reconnection.
Ebner’s well-paced narration will engage listeners to the very end of this excellent audiobook. (Mystery. 7-11)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217351961
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: tomorrow
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