Post-9/11 America intrudes on Aisha and Nadira's Bangladeshi family when their visas expire. The family members, who have big plans for the intelligent older daughter, flee to Canada but are turned back. Narrator Abby Craden expertly depicts family, friends, and cold officials. Especially notable are her portrayals of the family’s daughters as the intellectual Aisha loses her nerve and the younger Nadira, who is viewed as “average,” propels the family to a more hopeful future. Craden captures everything the reader's eye would see on the printed page—especially that aside or extra word that adds further clarity to the written word. The moving story illustrates people and lives affected by our nation’s immigration policies. Craden's warm and insightful delivery adds to the learning experience for young listeners.
Young AdultPub Date: July 1, 2012
Duration: 4 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781620641767
Publisher: AudioGo
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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