Harry is ugly, shy, and covered with hideous burn scars. Befriended by the charismatic Johnny, he finds his way back to life through participation in a band. Narrating this story about the power of music and friendship to heal, Lincoln Hoppe strikes just the right note with the character of Harry—offbeat, a touch sarcastic, a little wistful—as Harry describes the teen friendships and tensions that arise around the band, The Scar Boys. Hoppe’s perfect pacing moves the story along while allowing Vlahos’s details to unfold in the listener’s mind. Saturated with musical references, this audiobook has chapter titles that are song titles. The author even plays the guitar music that introduces the production and provides the accompaniment when Hoppe sings one of Vlahos’s original songs.
(Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 21, 2014
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780804167277
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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