Is the dark really as scary as it seems? When Neil Gaiman begins to narrate as if he's telling a spooky bedtime story, listeners might think so. The spine-tingles are the best kind, though, with Gaiman leading listeners through Laszlo's house and down the stairs into the basement, where the dark lives. With his British accent and gentle delivery, Gaiman conjures a whole world out of author Lemony Snicket’s words as listeners learn why the dark is important. Background music and occasional sound effects—a closet door opening, a shower curtain rustling, the slide of a drawer out of a chest—round out the production in this tiny audio prize. J.M.D. 2014 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
(Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: April 2, 2013
Duration: 6 mins
DD ISBN: 9781619696891
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A mismatch between performer and text.
Fleischman’s 1987 Newbery-winning classic comes to listeners in a new edition read by Ralph Lister. Appropriately for this story of injustice—the title character’s function is to receive the punishments richly earned by the aptly nicknamed Prince Brat—Lister leans into British class-coded accents for his interpretation. Using a vaguely northern lilt for the third-person narration, Lister voices whipping boy Jemmy with a cockney twang and Prince Brat with hoity-toity upper-crust nasality. Unfortunately, for neither boy does the gravelly voiced performer attempt any youthful lightness, and Jemmy’s twang often makes him sound whinier than Prince Brat. The story is fast-paced and broadly comedic but not without nuance; however, Lister’s forceful delivery threatens to overwhelm its quieter, more contemplative moments.
A mismatch between performer and text. (Historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: July 21, 2026
Duration: 1 hr, 47 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063511934
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Hartsough is well cast in this middle-grade novel.
Sixth grader Margot Stafford is navigating school, family, and a burgeoning interest in art. The perceptive Margot carefully observes those around her and worries about her mom, who suffers from depression and has a concerning new boyfriend. In Eevin Hartsough’s depiction, Margot sounds youthful and reflective, as befits an artistic and caring 12-year-old who is struggling with math as well as with shifting friendships, but who finds new direction working at an art gallery in town. Hartsough capably portrays a full cast of characters, including a vaguely accented teacher; Margot's older brother, Eli; her mom; and a stern neighbor, among others.
Hartsough is well cast in this middle-grade novel. (Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: July 7, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 28 mins
DD ISBN: 9798898858520
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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