Patricia Santomasso narrates the first-person story of Lydia, a 13-year-old who cared for her artistic single mother during a long illness, which ended with her death. Santomasso depicts Lydia's contained grief and resignation as she travels to a rural town to live with her mother's sister, Aunt Brat. Lydia is quickly surrounded by the love of Aunt Brat and her wife, Elloroy, their aged landlord, and a large rescue dog. Lydia's classmates accept her readily, but Lydia is quiet and reticent after being homeschooled her whole life, not to mention being haunted by memories of her mother. Santomasso conveys the tension that comes from Lydia's grief, loneliness, and secrets she keeps about the past. Just as strongly, Santomasso captures Lydia's eventual acceptance of the love that surrounds her.
(Fiction.10-13)Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2020
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062971449
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 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
Gosage delivers these scientifically sound oceanic anecdotes with an easy-listening appeal.
Narrator Ellie Gosage speaks to middle-grade listeners as a friend, her tone changing with each ocean-themed topic. Gosage’s conversational narration reflects the book’s plain language. Her tone ranges from amused, as in “Blubber Blunder,” about a town’s attempt to destroy an 8-ton whale carcass with a half-ton of dynamite, to impressed, as in “The (Dog’s) Nose Knows,” about one dog’s unique ability to locate floating whale poop from a half-mile away while on a boat. (The excrement is used to capture DNA information.) In a chapter about a grieving orca, Gosage’s narration is especially soulful.
Gosage delivers these scientifically sound oceanic anecdotes with an easy-listening appeal. (10-12)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217172764
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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