Enchanting. Laurel Merlington transports listeners to a time they might not remember--the time before Santa Claus had his "eight tiny reindeer" to guide his sleigh each Christmas Eve. Enter a storytelling doe and her curious fawn, Dasher, who delights in the stories of a long-ago home under the North Star, where the cold and white snow blanketed the land. Dasher wonders whether she'll ever see this land, how the deer family will escape the hardships of Finnegan's Traveling Circus and Menagerie, and how he will help Santa and Silverbell. Merlington speaks in ethereal and mysterious tones that welcome the magic of this story. She brings kindness to Mama Deer and a warm, mellow richness to Santa Claus. Dasher is childlike and full of wonder as her journey unfolds. What a delight it is when a story, its narration, and its musical score all meld into a seamless production.
(Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
Duration: 13 mins
DD ISBN: 9781974972777
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ladji’s appealing performance gives an extra spark as both girl and horse rise from those mythical ashes.
Emma Ladji brings empathy and authenticity to this tale of a kid whose life blows up when her dad cheats with her best friend’s mom. Harper and her mom move to a new town and into a teeny house next to a barn. Although Harper has no particular interest in horses, that changes when a kill truck dumps a neglected, almost-dead horse in her yard. As Harper finds a new purpose in saving her horse—whom she names Phoenix, of course—she connects with her barn neighbors. Ladji has fun creating voices for the quirky and diverse group—fiery little Emma, Puerto Rican Dante, and Night, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns.
Ladji’s appealing performance gives an extra spark as both girl and horse rise from those mythical ashes. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280902
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
Gosage delivers these scientifically sound oceanic anecdotes with an easy-listening appeal.
Narrator Ellie Gosage speaks to middle-grade listeners as a friend, her tone changing with each ocean-themed topic. Gosage’s conversational narration reflects the book’s plain language. Her tone ranges from amused, as in “Blubber Blunder,” about a town’s attempt to destroy an 8-ton whale carcass with a half-ton of dynamite, to impressed, as in “The (Dog’s) Nose Knows,” about one dog’s unique ability to locate floating whale poop from a half-mile away while on a boat. (The excrement is used to capture DNA information.) In a chapter about a grieving orca, Gosage’s narration is especially soulful.
Gosage delivers these scientifically sound oceanic anecdotes with an easy-listening appeal. (10-12)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217172764
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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