This story is an emotional roller-coaster ride, and narrator Leon Williams treats each twist and turn with depth and passion, holding listeners in rapt attention to the end. He provides a spectacular portrayal of 12-year-old Matthew, who's so crippled by OCD that he rarely leaves the house. One minute Matthew rhythmically catalogues his cul-de-sac's happenings from the upstairs window like a radio broadcaster, the next he's repeating his "safe phrases" in a quick staccato tone laden with anxiety. When a boy goes missing from the neighborhood, Matthew's detailed observations become important evidence. Listeners will go from tearing their hair out to cheering on Matthew and his fellow sleuth, Melody Bird, as the mystery unfolds. Williams takes listeners from one emotion to the next, anxious, horrified, hopeful, heartbroken, and relieved, all in one performance.
(Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781338119626
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ebner’s well-paced narration will engage listeners to the very end of this excellent audiobook.
Jeff Ebner's youthful, enthusiastic voice immediately pulls listeners into this fun-filled summer adventure. Eleven-year-old Felix and his neighbor, Marigold, find a mysterious wooden box that contains a field recorder and a coded message that subsequently sends them on a fantastically sound-filled scavenger hunt. The inclusion of actual sound effects—an ice cream truck’s jingle, a barking dog, bird song, and more—throughout the audiobook enhances the listening experience. The music, the voices, and the clues as Felix and Marigold run all over town are irresistible. The story’s conclusion features an unexpected reconnection.
Ebner’s well-paced narration will engage listeners to the very end of this excellent audiobook. (Mystery. 7-11)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217351961
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
A not-too-scary horror audiobook.
Dan Bittner gives a polished performance of Stine’s middle-grade horror novel, narrating with melodramatic flair and dramatic pauses at the end of each cliffhanger chapter. When the Ferber family moves into a creepy old house on Nightmare Street, Joe’s parents are oblivious to the scary things happening in the house. In a parallel story, the Hannigan family moves into the same house, where Shawn has different creepy experiences. Both Joe and Shawn have nightmares in which they encounter horror tropes—headstones, a creepy rag doll, a looping camera, a ventriloquist’s dummy, and masked teachers—in their house and at school. Bittner’s pacing works well, and fans of the Goosebumps series will enjoy the familiar shivers and tongue-in-cheek humor.
A not-too-scary horror audiobook.Pub Date: April 18, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798228588288
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2026
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