Narrator Heather Simms gives a captivating performance of Katherine Johnson's inspiring life story. At age 4, Katherine was helping her older brother with his schoolwork, and by age 18, she had graduated from college with degrees in mathematics and French. In describing her parents' struggles and sacrifices to educate all their children, Johnson describes the impact that racism, school segregation, and poverty had on her life. But she persevered, achieving her goal of being a research mathematician. Simms gives an upbeat voice to Johnson's triumphs as she proves herself to NASA engineers and becomes instrumental in the success of the first U.S. space flights. Johnson's passion for learning, her love for her family, and her pride in her remarkable professional accomplishments come through loud and clear in Simms's voice.
(Memoir. 9-adult)Pub Date: July 2, 2019
Duration: 5 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508297710
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ken Coleman's expertise as a baseball announcer enriches this history of the Boston Red Sox since the sale of Babe Ruth to the N.Y. Yankees. He leads off with a grim account of this transaction, which started the curse that has plagued the Red Sox ever since. The sermon-like tone will amuse non-believers and comfort listeners who are certain the team is cursed. Like the ups and downs of Boston's play through the years, the narrator's voice fluctuates--exuberant and then despondent--in tone and tempo accurately reflecting the mood of any given baseball season. The narrator is very successful at conveying the emotional roller coaster ride Red Sox fans have endured as a result of the curse of the Bambino.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A fresh, dynamic interpretation of Woodson's poetry.
Woodson originally narrated her memoir in 2014, and this updated production features a lively chorus of voices, a new bonus chapter, and testimonies about the legacy of Brown Girl Dreaming. The audiobook opens with spare guitar music, and Woodson narrates her new, emotion-filled introduction. The chorus—Denée Benton, Marley Dias, Dominique Fishback, Big Freedia, Montego Glover, Nicole Ari Parker, Tika Sumpter, and Lena Waithe—then jumps in, each contributor delivering one poem and passing the mic to another voice for the next. The variety of voices adds a little spice, as their narration styles are very different from one another. Snappy musical interludes by Toshi Reagon feature before each section.
A fresh, dynamic interpretation of Woodson's poetry. (Memoir/poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 11 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217175611
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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