Listeners will definitely want to cast their vote for Liz Lighty in this debut audiobook for teens. Narrator Alaska Jackson's relaxed, natural-sounding delivery makes Liz instantly relatable. She might not seem like prom queen material at her wealthy Indiana high school, but Liz is determined to win the crown because it comes with a scholarship that will ensure she can attend the college music program of her dreams. She's also dealing with changing friendships, her little brother's sickle cell disease, and the fact that she just might be falling for the new girl at school. Jackson doesn't always differentiate between characters, which can make conversations hard to follow, or match her narration to cues in the text. But the story, like Liz, is a winner. Hollywood, make this the next teen movie classic.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781338637618
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
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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