In this sequel to CECE RIOS AND THE DESERT OF SOULS, Alamrie Guerra and Karla Serrato shine as sisters Cece and Juana. Their last adventure is not over as they thought--Juana's soul is missing. And Cece is determined to get it back. But Juana decides she needs to get it back on her own. The sisters start their journeys separately and encounter an array of magical creatures. El Cucuy, the king of fears, is after Cece. Will the sisters be able to defeat him? The narrators take turns delivering chapters from the perspectives of their characters. Both narrators have an excellent command of Spanish and aptly pronounce words in Nahuatl. Both narrators voice all kinds of characters that prove to be entertaining and engaging.
(Fantasy. 8-14)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063213944
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners can expect fantasy at its silliest, with humorous voices to match.
Daniel Henning narrates this middle-grade fantasy with a dose of zaniness. Henning creates individualized voices for a cast that includes Adelbert, the forgetful magician; an irritable king; a host of royal attendants; a curmudgeonly, wish-granting tree; and the heroine, Bernadette the Brave. Bernadette is a kind, soft-spoken girl who is “hired” (kidnapped) to serve as keeper of the 24 goats upon which the king’s castle improbably rests. As the story's narrator, Henning is humorous and conversational, recounting Bernadette and Adelbert’s quest to rescue the turtle, Perseverance. This fun romp is completely out of order, beginning in Chapter 13, and dotted with morals, Latin, and the bleating of goats.
Listeners can expect fantasy at its silliest, with humorous voices to match. (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 35 mins
DD ISBN: 9798899737732
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
Tiedemann perfectly captures Queso’s emotions as he deals with family and loss in this time-travel adventure.
Narrator Gary Tiedemann creates a youthful voice for 12-year-old Queso, who, after making a wish to see his deceased dad one more time, travels back in time to 1985. He meets his dad, Pancho (also 12 years old), whose easygoing voice matches his friendly personality, and they become fast friends. As Queso learns more about his dad's childhood, he becomes determined to help him with school to alleviate some of the struggles Pancho will face later in life. Then Queso must make the difficult decision to leave his father behind and return to his own time—if that’s even possible.
Tiedemann perfectly captures Queso’s emotions as he deals with family and loss in this time-travel adventure. (Science fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 57 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063092273
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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