A trio of narrators is the perfect match for this epistolary novel. Nora Hunter brings equal parts trepidation and enthusiasm to the voice of 12-year-old Ruth Quayle, an adopted child who discovers she may have an identical twin living in England. Through a series of email and social media posts, the truth slowly unfolds. Charlotte Cole and Hunter give the two girls a heartfelt connection, and their emotional "tween-speak"--with both British and American accents--will have listeners chuckling. Liam Aiken applies a calm, level-headed tone to Ruth's best friend, Jedgar, who attempts to keep Ruth's emotions in check. Also notable is Susan Duerden as Ruby's mom, Delilah, a flighty artist whose lackadaisical approach to parenting rings true.
(Fiction. 10-13)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2014
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780545735292
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
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
Powerful and affirming.
Narrator Erin Tripp’s melodious voice cradles listeners of this celebration of the unbreakable ties between Indigenous families and the land they walk on. In turn, the audiobook’s young protagonist reflects on wisdom learned from grandparents, parents, little sister, and community. Nature-based metaphors and similes reinforce the reciprocal relationship between the child and the land. “You are the land,” the child learns. “You are the sea...mountains…sky.” Tripp, whose heritage is Lingít, invests each iteration of “You are” with a gentle firmness that underscores the web of connections among child, family, community, and land. Littlebird’s tribes are Atfalati Kalapuya and Clatsop Chinook, and listeners who seek out the print edition will enjoy illustrations that present the lush glory of her people’s Oregon homelands.
Powerful and affirming. (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 4 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280407
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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