Kevin R. Free has fun with the onomatopoeia of Hilda’s dance moves, and he gives a voice to her animal friends--raspy monkey, deep-voiced rhinoceros, echoey water buffalo--but the narrator’s voice is the best. Free has superb pacing and uses Wilson’s charming, simple verse to create a smooth and joyful story for new readers to follow easily, learning words and sounds at just the right pace. The reader doesn’t even need the book to create the story in the mind’s eye. Free ably brings the playfulness and light-hearted rhymes of Wilson’s book to life. Wilson’s books are perfect for young listeners, and Free’s easygoing style adds to the bouncy beat.
Ages 4-6Pub Date: 2005
Duration: 15 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Robb Moreira summons a mythic tone for this original spinoff of the Aztec creation story. In Higuera's story, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl's lesser-known brother, Xolotl, recounts "what really happened." Xolo has a dog's head, paws, and, most importantly, a love of humankind. Moreira's declamatory tones suit the epic nature of the story but also sometimes flatten the nuances of Higuera's characterizations. Listeners who don't seek out the print edition to accompany the audiobook will miss illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson's strikingly stylized figures, colorfully lush design, and critical narrative detail that's often communicated only in the illustrations. Those who do read and listen will occasionally find themselves zooming past wordless sequences that demand close attention. Both otherworldly and sweet--and perhaps best enjoyed in print.
(Mythology. 7-10)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9798899735035
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Tara Novie's youthful voice reflects a sense of wonder for the topic of this audiobook: whales. While her bright delivery contrasts with the somberness of those majestic animals that were pushed out of former habitats by human expansion, she does convey a sense of hope as the Hudson River flows clear again and the whales return. In the second part of the audiobook, Novie's tone becomes more grounded as she details historical and environmental insights relating to the Hudson Highlands River's troubled past and activism that led to the 1972 Clean Water Act. Novie conveys the urgency of this environmental issue and humanity's role in shaping an optimistic future.
(Informational picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 22 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250386755
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
