Narrator Alana Kerr Collins's exquisite performance vividly brings this story to life. Patricia Reilly Giff's historical novel in verse uses sparse language to paint a heartbreaking picture of Ireland in the 1890s. Collins delivers Giff's eloquent language with heart as her Irish lilt becomes the voice of young Anna. We hear the loneliness in Anna's voice as her older brothers emigrate to America for a better life, her fear as she watches her mother weaken and fade, and her determination as she fights to keep what's left of home and family together. Like all good historical fiction, this story is firmly set in its era, Ireland's Great Famine, but its focus on the life of one girl and her family makes the history personal.
(Historical verse fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2019
Duration: 2 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781974986132
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Arserio perfectly captures Hafsa’s boldness as she fights for herself and others.
Narrator Shiromi Arserio establishes a determined voice for Hafsa, a Pakistani village girl who longs to attend a summer science camp focused on medicine in the city to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. At first, her parents firmly reject the idea, but after her sister’s husband insists that Hafsa could stay with them, her father relents. Arserio beautifully portrays Hafsa’s disappointment when she learns that the camp’s topic is climate change instead of medicine, and her resilience when she makes the most of it anyway. When Hafsa takes up the cause of finding a new home with better conditions for an elephant at the local zoo, Arserio’s energetic narration brings the story to life.
Arserio perfectly captures Hafsa’s boldness as she fights for herself and others. (Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 24 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280414
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026
A heartfelt audiobook for the entire family to enjoy.
With a youthful voice, Jeff Ebner brings much emotion to this realistic middle-grade novel. Ten-year-old Nathan Savage is consumed with worry that the gigantic pile of trash across the street from his home is about to collapse. He’s even more worried that his father, who works at the top of said pile, is in extreme danger. It’s up to Nathan to devise a flawless plan to save the day. Ebner’s fast-paced, energetic narration moves the action along, engaging young listeners to the very last word.
A heartfelt audiobook for the entire family to enjoy. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217280445
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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