Narrator Katherine Kellgren uses just the right amount of animated exuberance to portray the Incorrigibles, children who were raised by wolves. In this installment, the children and their governess, Penelope, travel to the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, where Penelope will give a speech and attempt to save the school from ruin by a mysterious trustee. Kellgren’s dramatic flair builds anticipation and brings out humorous wordplay, complete with iambic pentameter as well as language and literature lessons. Her character voices are hilarious, and her singing voice is delightful. Frequent extreme and unexpected volume changes between villainous whispers and evil bellows do distract a bit from the listening. The story remains unresolved, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
(Comic melodrama. 10-12)Pub Date: 2013
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062224798
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Robb Moreira summons a mythic tone for this original spinoff of the Aztec creation story. In Higuera's story, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl's lesser-known brother, Xolotl, recounts "what really happened." Xolo has a dog's head, paws, and, most importantly, a love of humankind. Moreira's declamatory tones suit the epic nature of the story but also sometimes flatten the nuances of Higuera's characterizations. Listeners who don't seek out the print edition to accompany the audiobook will miss illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson's strikingly stylized figures, colorfully lush design, and critical narrative detail that's often communicated only in the illustrations. Those who do read and listen will occasionally find themselves zooming past wordless sequences that demand close attention. Both otherworldly and sweet--and perhaps best enjoyed in print.
(Mythology. 7-10)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9798899735035
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Tara Novie's youthful voice reflects a sense of wonder for the topic of this audiobook: whales. While her bright delivery contrasts with the somberness of those majestic animals that were pushed out of former habitats by human expansion, she does convey a sense of hope as the Hudson River flows clear again and the whales return. In the second part of the audiobook, Novie's tone becomes more grounded as she details historical and environmental insights relating to the Hudson Highlands River's troubled past and activism that led to the 1972 Clean Water Act. Novie conveys the urgency of this environmental issue and humanity's role in shaping an optimistic future.
(Informational picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 22 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250386755
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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