Fifth-grader Caitlin has Asperger’s syndrome, and author Kathryn Erskine sets her sights on getting listeners to see the world through that prism. Narrator Angela Rogers captures the exact tone of a 10-year-old girl. Rogers uses pacing and emphasis to create the perfect balance between Caitlin’s lack of empathy and her struggle to cope with the death of her beloved brother, who interpreted the world for her. Rogers’s performance rings with honesty, as does the book itself, creating between them a portrayal that brings empathy and understanding to a difficult topic.
Ages 8+Pub Date: April 15, 2010
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781449824747
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Catch up with the Miller family through the voice of the youngest child.
Keylor Leigh narrates this fifth and final novel in the Miller Family series, this time focusing on the youngest family member, 10-year-old Poppy. Still grieving the death of her father, Poppy is facing a Thanksgiving with lots of changes in the people around her—her brother, Billy, is returning from college; her lovelorn sister, Sal, is rebelling; and her mother has a new male friend. Luckily, Poppy has her art to help her cope. Leigh takes Poppy through these challenges with a youthful voice filled with exasperation, desperation, anticipation, and, always, love. Leigh ably conveys Sal's sarcasm and portrays Billy’s coming-of-age.
Catch up with the Miller family through the voice of the youngest child. (Fiction. 6-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 4 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063517196
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life.
Fourteen-year-old Tessa lives in a dystopian world with a leader who has banned books and taken away the personal liberties of its citizens. Elise Arsenault establishes a steady pace with her narration. When an older neighbor is taken to elder care, Tessa finds a box of forbidden books in her house that changes everything. Arsenault captures Tessa’s tumultuous emotions as she learns about the past and discovers that her long-lost twin brother, Theo, who disappeared years ago, may still be alive. Fans of Lowry’s The Giver will be intrigued by this world, one that feels frighteningly plausible.
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life. (Dystopian. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 49 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063515130
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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