Holly Linneman's narration carries listeners into the whirlwind of 12-year-old Ellie's life. First, Ellie's family is disrupted when the Great Depression forces a move to the Maine woods; then their lives are torn apart when an accident leaves her father in a coma. Linneman defines Ellie's heartbreaking willingness to take responsibility for her family's survival even when it casts her in a bad light. Ellie is just starting to feel at home on the mountain when she meets Cate, an elderly woman who is ill, and her grandson, Larkin. Linneman's balanced depiction of Cate's wisdom, saltiness, and courage counterbalances her portrayal of Ellie's initial confusions and, later, her developing trust in her instinctive knowledge of healing. Linneman adds power to the author's evocative prose.
(Historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: April 21, 2020
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593155820
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator P.J. Ochlan embraces this spirited novel, documenting 11-year-old Rocco Zaccaro's adventures with such gusto and spunk that you'd swear you'd traveled back in time to 1887. The story begins with Rocco's removal from his home in Italy and his subsequent arrival in New York City, where he is to work as a street musician for his new padrone, Signor Ancarola. Ochlan paints a vivid picture of immigrant life and the trials Rocco undergoes trying to escape the horrible living conditions under his padrone. Capturing the characters' voices perfectly, Ochlan delivers Rocco's animated storytelling, the slang of his newfound gang of pickpockets, and the accents of the city's many immigrants, whether Irish, Scottish, German, English, or Italian. Historical notes, including a pickpocket's glossary, complete this excellent production.
(Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780147521477
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
John McDonough tells the oddball story of Prince Roger and his misbegotten quest for self-identity and true love. The story is amusing and at times inspiring as it follows Prince Roger on a three-year sojourn through the Forever Forest and across the Dastardly Divide as he seeks to transcend his clownish nature and find his destined love, Princess Petulia. Younger listeners will be enchanted by the whimsy and fantasy elements of this fairy tale and by McDonough's gentle style, while adults will enjoy Feiffer's tongue-in-cheek writing, metafictional asides, and profound insights about destiny, identity, and living happily ever after.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 4 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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