How the musical score enhances this audio performance! In Klassen’s Caldecott Medal-winning story, a petite fish confides the origin of the hat on his head (stolen) and takes listeners on on his getaway journey. With each page turn, the suspense heightens. Only one other creature knows the origin of the hat, but the fish is sure he won’t tell. John Keating’s intimate, steadily paced narration, coupled with the dramatic musical interludes, creates dramatic tension. Keating’s British accent adds flair to the tongue-in-cheek story.
(Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2014
Duration: 5 mins
Publisher: Weston Woods Studios
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Gosage delivers these scientifically-sound oceanic anecdotes with an easy-listening appeal.
Narrator Ellie Gosage speaks to middle-grade listeners as a friend, her tone changing with each ocean-themed topic. Gosage’s conversational narration reflects the book’s plain language. Her tone ranges from amused, as in “Blubber Blunder,” about a town’s attempt to destroy an 8-ton whale carcass with a half-ton of dynamite, to impressed, as in “The (Dog’s) Nose Knows,” about one dog’s unique ability to locate floating whale poop from a half-mile away while on a boat. (The excrement is used to capture DNA information.) In a chapter about a grieving orca, Gosage’s narration is especially soulful.
Gosage delivers these scientifically-sound oceanic anecdotes with an easy-listening appeal.Pub Date: today
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217172764
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: today
In her clear, expressive voice, bilingual narrator M.L. Sanchez tells the exciting story of mouse siblings Vida and Máximo. The town of Moustepec was once happy, but the threat of a cat forces residents to stay home. There are no more fiestas, no more fireworks, and no more music. When a scary encounter with the cat results in Vida's dream about a fantastical creature called an alebrije, it inspires a plan to get rid of the cat once and for all with the help of the whole town. An extensive author's note offers a history of the Mexican tradition of the alebrije; another note reveals the story's inspiration. Sanchez's pacing adds to this enjoyable adventure for young listeners.
(Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Duration: 12 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349108686
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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