Narrator Noah Galvin's dreamy tones depict the introversion of 11-year-old Ware, who enters medieval worlds more readily than he takes part in the "normal" life that surrounds him. Faced with a summer of attending a chaotic rec program, Ware discovers peace and quiet in a deserted church next door. It doesn't remain peaceful for long. He soon meets the cynical Jolene, a girl who has been hurt by the background she hides. Galvin captures the dynamic between the pair as artistic Ware's visions conflict with Jolene's accusations that his thinking is not of the real world but of "Magic Fairness Land." Gradually, tenderness grows between the two as they create a garden and a refuge for migrating birds, despite the threat of developers. The mix of graceful plot and deep feelings creates a good family listen.
(Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062968401
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
While narrator Liam Aiken evokes the wistful, dolorous tone of Snicket’s second mystery in his All the Wrong Questions series, he fails to deliver Snicket’s signature snark with appropriate vigor. In this episode, the main character, 12-year-old Lemony Snicket, continues the investigations that began in STAIN’D BY THE SEA with the case of the missing chemist, Cleo Knight. As Aiken delivers Snicket’s declarative sentences in a deadpan voice, his remote reading keeps listeners distant from the story. Furthermore, Aiken does not always play up the quirks of the town’s eccentric characters. When he does use individualized voicings, the story shakes off its languidness to some degree. Aiken’s melancholy narration echoes Snicket’s loneliness but doesn’t enliven the recording for young listeners. An attached PDF file includes the character Seth’s illustrations.
(Mystery. 8-14)Pub Date: 2013
Duration: 4 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781478924845
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Jeff Harding voices the many impactful moments of 1919 in this engaging nonfiction audiobook. From women activists fighting for the right to vote to the Red Scare and civil rights riots, Sandler draws parallels to today's social issues. Harding matches 1919's cadence with a forward-moving pace. He uses different accents for quotations, though the women and people of color might have been better served with a diverse cast. The asides and timelines that appear in the text also are in the audio. Full of fascinating stories put into a modern context, this audiobook offers much to learn about an eventful year and ponders the big questions of our current time.
(Nonfiction. 11-16)Pub Date: 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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