Catherine Ho's thoughtful delivery is ideal for this enchanting story contrasting Eastern and Western dragon mythologies. Listeners meet an Asian American boy whose mother's storytelling introduces his dual heritage. The boy's grandmothers become involved, too, and Ho never missteps in portraying each woman's gentle and loving voice. The Western grandma describes a dense forest and its scary inhabitants, including a fierce lizard-like creature. But she lives in a welcoming cottage and assures him all is well. The Eastern grandmother tells of a serene dragon with a pearl in its chin. Ho's soothing storytelling style echoes the value of having two cultures. Alluring music and the enticing sound effects of a brook and blowing leaves add to the dreamlike tale.
(Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
Duration: 6 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250374578
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Powerful listening.
Four narrators personalize the tragedy of Houston’s 2017 Hurricane Harvey through the viewpoints of three struggling teens. Sunil Malhotra depicts Pakistani American Yasir’s many facets—his determination to succeed at soccer, his barely controlled rage about racism, his sadness about his father’s death, and his deep fear of drowning. Nikhaar Kashnani portrays South Asian American Mona. Weighed down by caring for her young brother, she loses herself in art and dreads her recurring nightmare about a flood. Josh Hurley renders Cody’s cruel, racist bullying as well as his fear of the dark, a result of being abused by his father. Christopher Salazar enthusiastically delivers interstitial news bulletins. When flooding from Harvey makes them face their worst fears, the resilient threesome’s separate stories come together and they support each other’s bravery.
Powerful listening.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063389557
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
Narrator Sunny Lu creates a passionate voice for seventh grader Luna in this coming-of-age realistic fiction. Luna leaves her introverted life behind when she becomes a bibliotherapist for her fellow classmates, recommending books to help them in times of need and eventually writing her own zines with the assistance of her best friend, Scott. Lu perfectly captures Luna's complex emotions as she abandons Scott and joins the popular group. Now rather than writing to help others, she starts to hurt others by writing about their faults and flaws in "fix-its." Listeners will relate to Luna's struggles as she loses her way and will cheer her on in hopes that she finds her way back.
(Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217081578
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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