Felisha Wong embraces the curious spirit of Janie, who longs to see an owl. A quiet respect, almost a reverence, for "the magic" of seeing and hearing an owl characterizes her owl-loving teacher, Mr. Koji. Janie channels her owl passion into drawings and a journal. Wong delivers her classifications of owl pellets and owl whitewash (poop) with a care that reflects Janie's writings on them. Listeners will be particularly impressed by Wong's delivery of eight owl calls. Wong depicts Janie's months of seesawing between patience and frustration, as well as the support of the adults in her life. In the final minutes, the heroine and listeners are rewarded with the magical sound of an owl's call.
(Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Duration: 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217171132
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 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: yesterday
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217172764
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: yesterday
By honoring Mungo’s earned confidence, this cozy episode boosts young listeners’ own.
Taisha Cameron voices this tale of a young fox on his first solo adventure. It’s November, and the red berries are calling out to young Mungo. With a nod of assent from his mother, the kit ventures out into the countryside. Menaces, both real and imagined, faze Mungo but do not stop him, and the reward for both fox and listeners is pure joy. Children who listen as they page through the print edition will see both in Julie Benbassat’s winsome illustrations. Burgess’ text is subtly rhythmic and powerfully sensory; Cameron nimbly navigates both aspects. Her gentle voice carries listeners along with sensitive precision.
By honoring Mungo’s earned confidence, this cozy episode boosts young listeners’ own.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Duration: 6 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063478251
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: yesterday
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