Author Lois Lowry's voice joins those of Lauren Ezzo and Andrew Gibson. Each narrates a novella inspired by the Windeby child, a 2,000-year-old body found in a German bog in 1952. In "Estrild's Story," Ezzo evinces restrained ferocity for the tale of a girl who longs to become a warrior, a role her people's customs forbid. Gibson brings out the protagonist's sensitivity in "Varick's Story" as the disabled orphan finds joy in nature, relieving the feelings of marginalization he suffers. Lowry's calm, deliberate tones recount how learning of the body compelled her to imagine the circumstances that led to the child's death and how reading new research caused her to reimagine her fiction. Taken together, this audiobook is a fascinating look at the creative process.
(Fiction/nonfiction hybrid. 9-13)Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2023
Duration: 3 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063287310
Publisher: Harper Audio
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
A poignant portrait of bravery.
Graham Halstead’s narration contains layers of emotion that fully reveal the character and growth of 13-year-old Lucas Dubois, an orphan living in 1944 occupied France. Halstead shows Lucas’ compassion as he rescues newborn kittens from being drowned. Lucas’ tenderness extends to a teen mother kept at the Lebensborn, a Nazi maternity home dedicated to producing soldiers-to-be. Lucas delivers groceries and conveys underground messages. Halstead also reveals the prickly nature of Alice, an older teen protecting her horse from being confiscated by Nazis. Halstead’s performance matches the breakneck pacing when Lucas stands up to German soldiers and confronts his own sense of insecurity.
A poignant portrait of bravery. (Historical fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250433039
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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