Benjamin L. Darcie brings a rich Haitian accent to his performance of this story about Shorty, a teen trapped in a hospital after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Shorty’s grim present bleeds into the past and the story of revolutionary leader Toussaint L’Ouverture. Darcie reads the chapters in the present at a slightly fast pace and the chapters about L’Ouverture a bit more slowly, helping to distinguish between the two time periods—although it takes careful listening to keep them straight. This is partly because Shorty and L’Ouverture seem to share a mystical connection that is perhaps only in Shorty’s mind as he slowly loses his grip on reality. This graphic and occasionally disturbing production isn’t for all YA listeners but will appeal to those looking for something challenging.
(Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2012
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781455877041
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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