The cover art alone could sell this recording to teenaged girls, and narrator Jenna Lamia further entices listeners with a pert voice for main character Lissy James. Using voice level to convey comical asides and verbal eye-rolling, Lamia deftly expresses Lissy's worries about her new high school and her troublesome magical gift (seeing auras). Distinct voices round out the other characters, including Lissy's adorable sister and the girls in the "golden" group. Lissy's nemesis, Lila, can be instantly identified by her insufferable Oklahoma drawl. Unfortunately, the recording is uneven at high pitches, a problem that is especially noticeable as volume increases. Nonetheless, Golden is a story many teenaged girls will enjoy.
Young AdultPub Date: July 25, 2006
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781423311911
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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