Narrator Lorna Raver knows Eugenia Lincoln and her sister, Baby, from the inside out. She takes the narration from cranky to imperious to almost tender and back again with ease. When Eugenia's predictable life is disturbed, greatly, by the arrival of an unreturnable package, Eugenia has to contend with the contents and with all the neighbors, who are suddenly interested in the mysterious arrival. Raver narrates with enthusiasm. Her narration is purposeful, carefully paced, and rich with the personalities of Deckawoo Drive, each with a distinctive voice. Saving her best for Eugenia. Raver's voice is firm, no nonsense, and bursting with cantankerous opinions and a tone of decisive actions. Now, what did Eugenia receive, and who sent it?
(Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Oct. 10, 2017
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9781101916117
Publisher: Listening Library
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
Author Daniel Nayeri voices his story of a grandmother who is guiding her grandchild through the steps of weaving a traditional Persian rug. The eager child tells the story with an eye toward creating the perfect rug, but Grandma encourages her young assistant to recognize that perfection is not the goal. Instead, the rug needs to be right for its purpose. Young listeners unfamiliar with Persian rug designs who read the print edition alongside this audiobook will benefit from seeing its vivid watercolor illustrations. But all listeners will hear what Nayeri's warm tones clearly convey. This sweet family story is told with Nayeri's affection for his culture and its intergenerational traditions.
(Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 25, 2025
Duration: 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217156924
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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