ONCE is the story of children in the Holocaust, poignant and powerful without being frightening or graphic. With his gentle and utterly alive manner, Gleitzman reads the tale of Felix, a Jewish boy who runs away from the convent where his parents had him hidden and roams the countryside with an orphaned girl until they find their way to the cellar of a print shop in the Warsaw ghetto, where an old dentist has been protecting lost children. Gleitzman’s reading is precise and lovely, often delivered in an understated whisper, emphasizing the intensity of the story and the author’s skill as a consummate storyteller. Klezmer music punctuates the chapters. ONCE is very much a story about storytelling memory. Seldom does a story come along so powerful in its simplicity.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Bolinda Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Shayna Small is excellent as she portrays Leena, a 16-year-old girl who is being raised by her single mother, Asiyah. Leena has always dreamed of being part of a big family, but so far her family is just two people. When an unexpected phone call reveals that she has a Muslim grandfather and great-aunt, Leena is forced to rethink everything about her identity and consider the differences between her secular African American mother and her newly discovered relatives. Small's narration perfectly reflects Leena's emotional journey as she is confronted by questions of identity, family, culture, and faith. Listeners will be invested in Leena's exploration of where she came from, who she is, and what her future holds.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2025
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798897567874
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Sophie Amoss narrates this story set in nineteenth-century Russia's Jewish communities. After fleeing from an arranged marriage, 17-year-old Sorel navigates gender identity. Sorel assumes the masculine identity Isser Jacobs, only to learn that Isser Jacobs is a real person who sold illegal political pamphlets translated into Yiddish. Magical elements including dybbuks (angels) and demons, some of whom have Russian accents, are interspersed in the story. Characters speak in hushed tones when discussing censorship, growing determined as they seek answers. Sorel often stutters when flustered, and when Sorel becomes Isser, Amoss uses a deeper voice. Amoss masterfully handles the pronunciation of Yiddish and Hebrew words in this solid, well-paced performance.
(Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2024
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798894862484
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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