Angela Rogers portrays 14-year-old Livvie Owens, who is autistic. Livvy’s methods of finding comfort are quirky—she arranges mugs in the middle of the night, sleeps beneath nine blankets, and writes “Livvie Owen Lived Here” in every home she’s lived in. Rogers expertly depicts the complex responses of Livvy’s family—her sisters’ frustrated compassion, her father’s barely restrained temper, and her mother’s exhausted gentleness. Between Livvy’s words and the reactions of those around her, listeners grow to understand that the family is coping not only with Livvy but also with economic stresses that have led to one eviction after another. The story’s poignant details and Rogers’s excellent narration give listeners empathy for Livvy’s inability to understand emotions—her own and those of others.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2010
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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