Nikki Massoud narrates the first-person story of Iranian American Mitra, who has little expectation of friendships when she enters a Catholic school. But four years later, she and her best friend, Bea, have written 13 books of poetry together and fallen in love. Massoud's narration realizes the vulnerability of a girl full of questions: Can she allow her drug-addicted mother to reenter her life, let go of past pain, protect her sister, permit herself to fully experience and reveal her queer relationship with Bea, and trust herself? Elena Rey delivers fewer sections but wholly embodies Bea, who has certainty and clarity about loving Mitra and about theater and poetry. Throughout, Massoud and Rey show their characters' belief in the truths of poetry writing and the poignancy of first love.
(Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: March 12, 2024
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593793763
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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