Ladji’s appealing performance gives an extra spark as both girl and horse rise from those mythical ashes.
Emma Ladji brings empathy and authenticity to this tale of a kid whose life blows up when her dad cheats with her best friend’s mom. Harper and her mom move to a new town and into a teeny house next to a barn. Although Harper has no particular interest in horses, that changes when a kill truck dumps a neglected, almost-dead horse in her yard. As Harper finds a new purpose in saving her horse—whom she names Phoenix, of course—she connects with her barn neighbors. Ladji has fun creating voices for the quirky and diverse group—fiery little Emma, Puerto Rican Dante, and Night, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns.
Ladji’s appealing performance gives an extra spark as both girl and horse rise from those mythical ashes. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280902
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
Gosage delivers these scientifically sound oceanic anecdotes with an easy-listening appeal.
Narrator Ellie Gosage speaks to middle-grade listeners as a friend, her tone changing with each ocean-themed topic. Gosage’s conversational narration reflects the book’s plain language. Her tone ranges from amused, as in “Blubber Blunder,” about a town’s attempt to destroy an 8-ton whale carcass with a half-ton of dynamite, to impressed, as in “The (Dog’s) Nose Knows,” about one dog’s unique ability to locate floating whale poop from a half-mile away while on a boat. (The excrement is used to capture DNA information.) In a chapter about a grieving orca, Gosage’s narration is especially soulful.
Gosage delivers these scientifically sound oceanic anecdotes with an easy-listening appeal. (10-12)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217172764
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
By honoring Mungo’s earned confidence, this cozy episode boosts young listeners’ own.
Taisha Cameron voices this tale of a young fox on his first solo adventure. It’s November, and the red berries are calling out to young Mungo. With a nod of assent from his mother, the kit ventures out into the countryside. Menaces, both real and imagined, faze Mungo but do not stop him, and the reward for both fox and listeners is pure joy. Children who listen as they page through the print edition will see both in Julie Benbassat’s winsome illustrations. Burgess’ text is subtly rhythmic and powerfully sensory; Cameron nimbly navigates both aspects. Her gentle voice carries listeners along with sensitive precision.
By honoring Mungo’s earned confidence, this cozy episode boosts young listeners’ own.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Duration: 6 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063478251
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
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