The verb “read” doesn’t do justice to Nicola Barber’s recording of THE FAIRY RING. She’s a vector connecting the listener to every detail of the story behind the famous fairy photographs. Not only do listeners hear about the girls behind the hoax but also about the social forces that incited the whole affair. Barber describes England, and the hardships of WWI, with immediacy. Her facile command of accents highlights the class distinctions, which play a key role in perpetuating the deception. Every word is imbued with life so that each angle of the story is vivid and enthralling: the technological advances, the quest to scientifically prove the existence of fairies, and the girls’ steadfast secrecy. Seldom is nonfiction so fanciful, compelling, or well paced. A.M.P Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
(Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 27, 2012
Duration: 2 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781455852307
Publisher: Brilliance Audio/ Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ken Coleman's expertise as a baseball announcer enriches this history of the Boston Red Sox since the sale of Babe Ruth to the N.Y. Yankees. He leads off with a grim account of this transaction, which started the curse that has plagued the Red Sox ever since. The sermon-like tone will amuse non-believers and comfort listeners who are certain the team is cursed. Like the ups and downs of Boston's play through the years, the narrator's voice fluctuates--exuberant and then despondent--in tone and tempo accurately reflecting the mood of any given baseball season. The narrator is very successful at conveying the emotional roller coaster ride Red Sox fans have endured as a result of the curse of the Bambino.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A fresh, dynamic interpretation of Woodson's poetry.
Woodson originally narrated her memoir in 2014, and this updated production features a lively chorus of voices, a new bonus chapter, and testimonies about the legacy of Brown Girl Dreaming. The audiobook opens with spare guitar music, and Woodson narrates her new, emotion-filled introduction. The chorus—Denée Benton, Marley Dias, Dominique Fishback, Big Freedia, Montego Glover, Nicole Ari Parker, Tika Sumpter, and Lena Waithe—then jumps in, each contributor delivering one poem and passing the mic to another voice for the next. The variety of voices adds a little spice, as their narration styles are very different from one another. Snappy musical interludes by Toshi Reagon feature before each section.
A fresh, dynamic interpretation of Woodson's poetry. (Memoir/poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 11 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217175611
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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