Edgar lives in the desolate Tabletop, a place overshadowed by the mysterious Highlands. No one from Tabletop has ever been to the Highlands until Edgar successfully climbs up and finds a world opposite to his. He soon finds out the two worlds are, catastrophically, merging. Listening to this tale is a fully rounded experience. Carman's novel is engaging, and Jonathan Davis's narration is masterful. His cadence is a delight, and he moves gracefully from the stentorian tones of the rulers of the Highlands to the boyishness of Edgar to the resonant voice of the omniscient narrator. Dramatic points in the story are further enhanced by a sweeping musical score. Finally, bonus material includes illustrations from the book, studio photos, and more.
Ages 10+Pub Date: April 3, 2007
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The audiobook has the comforting, magical quality of an irresistible bedtime story.
Author/narrator Coelho’s bright, friendly first-person narration brings 12-year-old Relic Hamilton to life. When Relic encounters a dangerous genie in his grandfather’s antique shop, he leaves his ordinary London life behind for a supernatural adventure that transports him through history and around the globe. While the journey has thrills and scary moments, the characters always have hope—a central theme of the audiobook. Coelho brings variety to the voices of his other characters, like Relic’s grandfather’s “Jamaican-teacher voice” and the gravelly rumble of a pirate captain from the Age of Sail who sounds exactly like an archetypal pirate ought to.
The audiobook has the comforting, magical quality of an irresistible bedtime story. (Fantasy. 9-13)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798349162169
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
A magical blending of fantasy and reality.
Narrator Emily Eiden's expressive rendition of Auden "Denny" Greene and her best friend Runa is feminine and childlike, suitable for a tale of girls on the cusp of turning twelve. Denny and Runa manifest their active imaginations in a magical world they call Sorrowfeld, filled with dragons and princesses, but Denny is dismayed to find that Runa seems to be growing out of this world and into a new phase of her life. Denny, however, still needs the escapism of Sorrowfeld to cope with challenging circumstances in her real life—while in Sorrowfeld, Princess Auden struggles against actual dragons.
A magical blending of fantasy and reality.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: N/A
DD ISBN: 9780063348189
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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