Narrator Cassandra Morris's youthful tone fits Annabelle, a sixth-grader who has grown up sheltered in a small town until she crushes on Bailey, a new, nonbinary student. Transgender author Kyle Lukoff develops rounded characters with authenticity, all accurately portrayed by Morris. She captures Annabelle's confusion and curiosity about gender terms and her own identity, and, later, the freshness of Annabelle's new perspectives and her process of internalizing them. Metaphors and meaningful incidents aid Annabelle along a surprising path as she comes to better understand the world and herself amid clashes of prejudice, perspective, and privilege. The audio includes an afterword by Lukoff. He describes the book's journey, his personal experiences, and all the people who helped him. A great family listen for adults and children seeking to better understand gender identity.
(Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: April 12, 2022
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593503218
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth.
Kestrel and her mother leave the home in California they share with Kestrel's grandfather, a pastor, to stay at a wildlife conservation institute in Montana. Narrator Mirai's youthful voice is a natural fit for this story of a young girl who at first resents being tricked into leaving California, but who later comes to realize that moving away from their strict home life was the right choice. Mirai employs distinctive voices for the adults, like Kestrel's stern grandfather and her uncertain mother, who begins gaining confidence. An author's note at the end discusses emotional abuse and how to find help.
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth. (Verse fiction. 9-14)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 42 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668175507
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
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