Baseball enthusiasts—especially Boston Red Sox fans—will delight in listening to Ritter’s story. It’s the start of the Red Sox’s 100th anniversary year. Twelve-year-old “Stats” Pagano, a fixture at his father’s hot dog stand outside Fenway Park, assists pitcher Billee Orbitt in his quest to determine the cause of the team’s, and his own, early season slide. James Colby is an unobtrusive narrator. He breezes through the Red Sox lore and brings the story’s drama to life through the earnestness of Stats, the twang of eccentric Orbitt, the intensity of brother and exceptional shortstop Mark, and the Boston accent of Pops Pagano. Neither the family’s misfortune nor Stats’s heart defect derails Colby’s outstanding performance of Ritter’s ode to baseball and friendship. The concluding interview with the author offers insights into baseball, his inspirations, and his writing craft.
(Fantasy. 9-14)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2012
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781464045783
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
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth.
Kestrel and her mother leave the home in California they share with Kestrel's grandfather, a pastor, to stay at a wildlife conservation institute in Montana. Narrator Mirai's youthful voice is a natural fit for this story of a young girl who at first resents being tricked into leaving California, but who later comes to realize that moving away from their strict home life was the right choice. Mirai employs distinctive voices for the adults, like Kestrel's stern grandfather and her uncertain mother, who begins gaining confidence. An author's note at the end discusses emotional abuse and how to find help.
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth. (Verse fiction. 9-14)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 42 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668175507
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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