Anika Noni Rose's narration is pitch-perfect in this Marvel Comics middle grade novel about the Black Panther's genius little sister, Shuri. This audiobook is filled with fictional names, places, and gizmos that can seem daunting. Rose uses this fictional vocabulary so well that listeners will have no problem believing that it is all real. While Rose does a stellar job with the vast array of accents, she especially shines when the 13-year-old heroine and her best friend talk and bicker. At no point do listeners begin to confuse the two characters even when they are both getting overly emotional or heated, as teenagers tend to do. SHURI would be a fast and fun listen for entire families of comics fans. A.R.F. 2021 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
(Science fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: May 5, 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781338637564
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A listen that will work best as a companion to the print book.
Cindy Kay narrates this first in a planned series. The story unfolds with the first meeting of the Skeleton and the Cat. The friendly Cat disturbs the Skeleton's solitary, peaceful home life, hoping to make a friend. Kay employs a perky, lighthearted voice for the Cat. He tries jokes, food, and dancing to make friends with the Skeleton, who does not joke, eat, or dance. She is aloof but never sounds unkind or impatient. As opposites often do, they become friends. Kay's narration is quiet, slow, and comforting, but unfortunately, some of the humor is visual and doesn’t translate to the audiobook.
A listen that will work best as a companion to the print book. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 7, 2026
Duration: 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063577213
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2026
Together, author and narrator create a three-dimensional character to root for.
Sunny Lu’s soft and youthful voice is perfect for April, a 12-year-old theater geek who happens to need a tracheostomy tube to help her breathe. April believes that her audition for the school play went so well that she’s sure to get the lead, so she’s devastated when she is confined to a backstage role because of her disability. Lu adapts her tone to each supporting character—April’s Chinese American parents; her best friend, Ruby, who lives by tarot cards; school bully Graham; and Zahra, whose activist mother wants to see more Muslims on the stage. April’s underhanded strategy to grab back the lead role sows discord until she finds a solution.
Together, author and narrator create a three-dimensional character to root for. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: June 16, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 19 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217295906
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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