In the second installment of the Bartimaeus Trilogy, Simon Jones again narrates Jonathan Stroud’s fantasy of a wizard-ruled Britain. Young wizard Nathaniel has risen quickly in the government and finds himself in charge of uncovering the elusive Resistance. Listeners are reintroduced to Resistance leader Kitty, whose alternating narrative demonstrates the cruelty of Nathaniel’s ruling class. Nathaniel himself is discovering the Machiavellian nature of the government and, under pressure, calls up the irreverent and dangerous djinni, Bartimaeus. Listeners will again delight in Simon Jones’s characterization of the biting wit and subtle humanity of this demon. Dangerous or no, listeners would be devastated if Nathaniel did not call upon Bartimaeus and if Simon Jones were not there to give him voice. K.C. 2005 YALSA Selection © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
Ages 10+Pub Date: 2004
Duration: 16 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.
AGES 8+Pub Date:
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"
Pub Date:
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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