Guy Lockard depicts 17-year-old Andre Jackson of Portland, Oregon, who is returning home after two months in juvenile detention for a robbery he didn't commit. Lockard depicts Andre's moods: his smoldering feelings for Sierra, the girl who lives in foster care next door and his confusion about why his friend Eric let him take the rap for the theft. Lockard intensifies Andre's feelings when COVID-19 robs him of his beloved grandfather, the death of George Floyd places him and others in jeopardy, and his suspicions about Eric mount. The authenticity of the writing and Lockard's narration reveal a character who speaks truth to power during the tumultuous personal and political events of 2020. Johnson delivers the afterword, which adds background to the issues and setting.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593609439
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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