Thirteen-year-old Dina has learned her family's trade of fine tailoring in their German home in the 1870s. When she's sent to Mama's brother in Brooklyn, she expects to be relieved of the endless needlework, but instead she finds a house of tailors poorer than the one she left. Dina's nimble fingers are desperately required in this dreary place, but she longs to return to Germany. In this impeccable reading by Blair Brown, the voices are just different enough for the listener to discern which character is speaking. Dina's youthful exasperation and naïve expectations are presented with a suitably delicate touch. A lovely story to be shared by adults and children. N.M.C. 2005 ALA Notable Recording © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine
Ages 10+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 1400090555
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth.
Kestrel and her mother leave the home in California they share with Kestrel's grandfather, a pastor, to stay at a wildlife conservation institute in Montana. Narrator Mirai's youthful voice is a natural fit for this story of a young girl who at first resents being tricked into leaving California, but who later comes to realize that moving away from their strict home life was the right choice. Mirai employs distinctive voices for the adults, like Kestrel's stern grandfather and her uncertain mother, who begins gaining confidence. An author's note at the end discusses emotional abuse and how to find help.
Mirai's renderings of Kestrel, her family, and fellow workers at the institute thoughtfully depict the protagonists' growth. (Verse fiction. 9-14)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 42 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668175507
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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