Bruce Mann gets the close camaraderie of three English mates just right. When their friend Ross is killed in an accident, 15-year-old Blake, Sam, and Kenny are disgusted with the funeral’s hypocrisy. Looking for a way to find meaning in what’s happened, the three steal Ross’s ashes and take off for Ross, Scotland, a place their friend had always wanted to go. Mann makes brainy Blake, who tells the story, a convincing character, as are tough Sam and clueless Kenny. Their road trip is marked by missteps, flirting, adventure, and contemplations of life and death. Mann gets maximum mileage from the humor of ribald ribbing, turns up the tension at action moments, and steers towards more serious tones when the boys reveal their fears and secrets.
Young AdultPub Date: March 23, 2010
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780739379158
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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