What will happen when global warming causes the oceans to rise? This is the question Marcus Sedgwick considers in his fast-moving science fiction tale. As 10-year-old Zoe navigates the remaining island cities of England, she also navigates the relationships within her extended and her nuclear families. Amanda Root narrates with all the tension and immediacy such an unsettling story demands. As Zoe moves from decision to decision, Root’s voice carries the edge and tautness of someone trying desperately to cope, first with those trying to seize her boat, then with Dooby’s clan, and finally, with her own feelings during the ordeal. The beauty in both the story and the narration is that just enough of the issue is raised to cause middle-grade listeners to seriously consider the problem but not to such a degree that fear outweighs concern.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 3 hrs, 18 mins
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Henry's parents are kidnapped while they travel the world. Henry is confused and lost when he's sent to his aunt, uncle, and cousins in Kansas. His bewilderment increases when the plaster of his bedroom walls cracks to disclose 100 strange cupboards that are portals to odd places. Vivid descriptions of fascinating lands hold listeners' attention through the story's many unexplained facts as does the steady, solid narration by Russell Horton. Horton accurately modulates the characters' up-and-down emotions, adapting his pace quickly to the changes. Listeners are able to keep up with the rapidly introduced characters because of Horton's stand-out portrayals.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Dec. 26, 2007
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780739362778
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A cast of narrators shares these stories, each told from the point of view of a supporting character from Riordan's Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series. We hear from Halfborn Gunderson, Samirah al-Abbas, Alex Fierro, and more. In "So's Your Face!" narrator Sile Bermingham gives fiery einherji Mallory Keen an Irish lilt, and in "I Play with Fire," Bahni Turpin gets to pull out the stops creating voices for a meeting of immortals in Muspellheim. Riordan's signature humor is here--Thor makes a guest appearance in each story, running through the nine worlds in his leather short shorts. The characterizations might not quite match what listeners heard in earlier installments, but diehard Magnus Chase fans can still enjoy this collection.
(Fantasy. 8-14)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780525641834
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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