The author narrates his story of a stitched-together teenage "monster" named Boy in this whimsical adventure. Boy, the son of Frankenstein's creatures, leaves his comfortable life in a magical menagerie to launch an artificial intelligence project named Vi. When Vi turns evil, Boy flees on an epic road trip with a descendant of Jekyll and Hyde. Skovron comfortably describes Boy's supernatural community with distinct voices that animate his offbeat characters. But his dialogue is sometimes too flat to fully engage listeners, and it takes time for the story to take off. In an odd synergy between author and narration, Skovron's compelling text often compensates for the average narration. Boy's authenticity will connect listeners to this quirky adventure when Skovron's narration occasionally falters.
(Science fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2013
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780804121224
Publisher: Listening Library
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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