Rachel Botchan's unadorned expression aptly represents the youthful journaling of Joan, a 14-year-old girl in 1911 whose life on her family's farm consists of rough, monotonous caring for three unappreciative brothers and a father who has made her leave school. Botchan's expressions of the father's harsh, crass comments contrast with Joan's passion for learning and reading, and her desire to become more "refined." Botchan's guileless tone takes on new meaning when Joan runs away, pretends to be 18, and becomes a hired girl in the Rosenbachs' wealthy, intellectual Jewish home. Her portrayal of Joan's naïveté, artless attempts at cover-up, and desire to please effectively contrasts with her depictions of the cultured Rosenbachs. Joan's romanticism, overactive imagination, and impulsivity are amusing and endearing.
(Historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2015
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781490632247
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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