Young Lulu, the tantrum-throwing spoiled heroine of the Lulu series, has met her match in narrator Michele O. Medlin. Loud volume, check. Irritating and grating timbre, check, check. Whiny tone, elongated to annoyance, check. Imperious and know-it-all attitude, yes and yes! Medlin handles them all. As the production opens, Lulu's parents have just shocked their daughter with the announcement that the family will be expanding and that they are sending Lulu to Camp Sisterhood to develop skills for the impending arrival. Is it possible for Lulu to work with her assigned campers to develop strategies for being a big sister? As narrator, Medlin sounds child friendly. While her Lulu is consistently sarcastic, she gently voices young Sebastian and adds humor through the ever-present camp director, Call-Me-Debbie.
(Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2018
Duration: 1 hr, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781980002765
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
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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