The great challenge in narrating a first-person novel is in capturing its singular and distinctive main character. Samantha Mathis perfectly manages brilliant Kate Malone, a motherless high school senior, whose only desire is an M.I.T. acceptance letter. Her voice young and snappy, her timing impeccable, Mathis depicts Kate in all her compulsiveness as she races to escape her reality; takes care of her asthmatic brother, Toby; and plays girlfriend to Mitch, whose fast hands, wet tongue, and boy scent offer occasional respite. An enforced friendship with a tough-girl incest survivor and her lisping baby brother/son challenges all of Kate’s assumptions and turns her world on its head. Written by the Printz Award-winning author of SPEAK, this title will be popular with older teens. T.B. 2003 YALSA Selection © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
Young AdultPub Date: Feb. 4, 2002
Duration: 6 hrs
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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