The slow, easy pace of music and narration that opens THE BIRTHDAY ROOM establishes just the right expectant tone. On his twelfth birthday, Benjamin Hunter receives a room of his own, in which to paint, from his parents and an unexpected invitation to visit Eugene, Oregon, from his long lost Uncle Ian. Ben feels pressured by the expectations inherent in the first gift, intrigued by the possibilities of the second. Terrence Mann's narration, graced by a slight drawl and a contemplative, gentle pace, is a lovely match for this quiet story of Ben's trip. Uncle Ian's deeply felt desire to reconnect, to teach Ben his hard-earned truths about art and life, shine through Mann's reading, as does the delightful innocence of Ian's 5-year-old twin neighbors. Most of all, Ben's own fresh eagerness to grab the world by the collar, his longing for a bigger world of experience as he comes into adolescence, is finely captured.
Ages 10+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Powerful and affirming.
Narrator Erin Tripp’s melodious voice cradles listeners of this celebration of the unbreakable ties between Indigenous families and the land they walk on. In turn, the audiobook’s young protagonist reflects on wisdom learned from grandparents, parents, little sister, and community. Nature-based metaphors and similes reinforce the reciprocal relationship between the child and the land. “You are the land,” the child learns. “You are the sea...mountains…sky.” Tripp, whose heritage is Lingít, invests each iteration of “You are” with a gentle firmness that underscores the web of connections among child, family, community, and land. Littlebird’s tribes are Atfalati Kalapuya and Clatsop Chinook, and listeners who seek out the print edition will enjoy illustrations that present the lush glory of her people’s Oregon homelands.
Powerful and affirming. (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: yesterday
Duration: 4 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280407
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
Powerful listening.
Four narrators personalize the tragedy of Houston’s 2017 Hurricane Harvey through the viewpoints of three struggling teens. Sunil Malhotra depicts Pakistani American Yasir’s many facets—his determination to succeed at soccer, his barely controlled rage about racism, his sadness about his father’s death, and his deep fear of drowning. Nikhaar Kashnani portrays South Asian American Mona. Weighed down by caring for her young brother, she loses herself in art and dreads her recurring nightmare about a flood. Josh Hurley renders Cody’s cruel, racist bullying as well as his fear of the dark, a result of being abused by his father. Christopher Salazar enthusiastically delivers interstitial news bulletins. When flooding from Harvey makes them face their worst fears, the resilient threesome’s separate stories come together and they support each other’s bravery.
Powerful listening.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063389557
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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