Narrator Lisa Cordileone convincingly portrays both tween and adult characters, immersing listeners in the timeless story of Delsie, her grandmother, and their neighbors, who live in a coastal Cape Cod town. Delsie had been looking forward to summer with her best friend, Brandy, but this year Brandy has befriended a mean girl named Tressa. Tressa's bored drawl contrasts with the sincere enthusiasm in Delsie's voice, underscoring the listener's empathy with Delsie when they exclude her. As she befriends a new boy named Ronan, who is mourning his late mother, Delsie explores her mixed emotions about her own mother, who abandoned her. Cordileone also creates distinct voices for supporting characters, adding even more vividness to this relatable story of friendship, family, and small-town life.
(Fiction. 10-12)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780525494089
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A sensitive performance.
Deepa is a precocious 12-year-old girl in remission from leukemia. Under the tutelage of her uncle, a house call doctor, she becomes involved in solving teen tennis player Taio's puzzling medical mystery. Deepa is unsure of herself, but she’s ready to get back to middle school after a year away for treatment. Narrator Soneela Nankani depicts Deepa's desire to be more than the "sick kid" while navigating her youthful insecurities and the social challenges of middle school. Nankani also ably portrays Deepa's growing confidence in herself as she uses her own experience with illness to help figure out what’s wrong with Taio.
A sensitive performance. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 32 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668182833
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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