Michelle Weisborn vividly portrays Evie Steinberg. Weisborn's youthful tone reflects Evie's delight when she moves to Southern California and discovers that Dara, her BFF from summer camp, goes to her new school. Weisborn also captures the anxious yet determined feelings of the seventh grader who demands perfection from herself after messing up her father's cryptozoology work. Soon, Evie is shocked to learn that Dara has told her schoolmates that Evie is weird and a liar. Evie sets out to expel the cruel golem who surely must have taken over Dara and works to regain her father's trust. Weisborn evenly handles themes that range from bullying and expectations--one's own and those of others--to self-acceptance.
(Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781547613083
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Lawrence enthusiastically portrays Cora and her friends in this fast-paced historical-fiction adventure.
Narrator Emily Lawrence creates a determined voice for Cora, who is desperately trying to survive the tragic 1906 earthquake in San Francisco with her two friends Chi and Oliver. Lawrence captures Cora’s tumultuous emotions as she and Chi are buried in rubble following the disaster and saved by her forbidden friend Oliver. Despite the bitter feud between their parents, Cora and Oliver work together to try to find her family as fire keeps spreading throughout their beloved city, all while running from bullies who are after Cora. Lawrence makes each character unique and adds a slight Irish accent for Oliver.
Lawrence enthusiastically portrays Cora and her friends in this fast-paced historical-fiction adventure. (Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798225033521
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Ladji’s appealing performance gives an extra spark as both girl and horse rise from those mythical ashes.
Emma Ladji brings empathy and authenticity to this tale of a kid whose life blows up when her dad cheats with her best friend’s mom. Harper and her mom move to a new town and into a teeny house next to a barn. Although Harper has no particular interest in horses, that changes when a kill truck dumps a neglected, almost-dead horse in her yard. As Harper finds a new purpose in saving her horse—whom she names Phoenix, of course—she connects with her barn neighbors. Ladji has fun creating voices for the quirky and diverse group—fiery little Emma, Puerto Rican Dante, and Night, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns.
Ladji’s appealing performance gives an extra spark as both girl and horse rise from those mythical ashes. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280902
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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