[Editor’s Note: The following is a combined review with THE ADVENTURES OF BLUE AVENGER.]--On his sixteenth birthday David Schumacher decides to change his name to Blue Avenger, secret champion of the underdog. Blue is not just a superhero; he's a thinker. He contemplates: Does he have free will, or is everything predestined. Is life just a lottery? He's one smart kid. But don't be fooled; there's a lot of humor in one of the most original stories to come along. BLUE AVENGER CRACKS THE CODE is even better than the first book. Things don't go so swimmingly for Blue this time around . He loses his job, his car, and his girlfriend. Not everything can be fixed with a blue towel tied around his head. Narrator John Beach is a perfect choice for these readings. His comic timing is spot on. He captures the snide teasing of the hero's younger brother, as well as the shy hesitation of a teen's first attempts at romance. Attacking the story with great gusto, he soon has you rooting for Blue to make things work out.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
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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