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
The plot, performances, and production are funny and engaging and make Pedro’s world feel vibrant and full.
This full cast audio rendition of a graphic memoir conveys the energy and brightness of that visual medium. The story recounts Pedro’s challenging but hopeful and humorous childhood as a migrant farmworker in the U.S., growing up with dreams of a life in the arts. Sound effects and musical interludes punctuate the narrative. Plates rattle as an earthquake shakes a restaurant, and birds sing in the bushes on a berry farm as Pedro’s family works. The animated performances by this large cast, especially the boyish voice of Oscar Emmanuel Fabela as Pedro, are perfect to hook preteen listeners—and adults, too.
The plot, performances, and production are funny and engaging and make Pedro’s world feel vibrant and full. (Graphic memoir. 10-16)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 38 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217349708
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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