Narrator Guy Lockard captures the emotions in this story. Middle-schooler Castle (nicknamed “Ghost”) has been running for three years. It all began the night his father threatened him and his mother with a gun. But running takes on a different meaning when he’s recruited for a track team coached by a former Olympic recruiter. Lockard maintains a good balance between the story’s humor and Ghost’s hidden dark thoughts. Lockard also creates convincing portrayals of the male mentors who care about Ghost, who wants to live up to their expectations and his own desire to be an athlete—even as these goals conflict with his self-protective tendencies to lie and fight. Listeners can look forward to more adventures, for this is the first in a series.
(Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508230472
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
Guevara hits a homer with her upbeat delivery of one girl’s quest to “play ball!”
Attention to detail marks this nonfiction production narrated by Daisy Guevara. Listeners will hear music and many baseball-related sound effects, including the flipping of pages in the Little League rule book—no girls allowed! In 1972, Maria Pepe was playing Little League baseball with the backing of her coach and teammates. Opposing teams protested. Despite her proficiency, Maria was banned. The National Organization of Women, however, helped Maria sue and win the right for future girls to play Little League. Guevara is superb in creating character voices for the young, earnest Maria and for the supportive adults. She employs darker voices for the comments of the men who resented and intimidated Maria.
Guevara hits a homer with her upbeat delivery of one girl’s quest to “play ball!” (Picture-book biography. 5-7)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 25 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668654705
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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