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THE SERPENT'S SECRET

KIRANMALA AND THE KINGDOM BEYOND, BOOK 1

A tale full of magic, demons, and inter-dimensional travels, this middle-grade audiobook is narrated by the author, Sayantani DasGupta. Kiranmala has always been told she's an Indian princess, but she believes she's just a regular New Jersey middle-school student. On her twelfth birthday, the truth is revealed, and Kiran is forced into a quest to save her parents. DasGupta's narration is frequently overdramatic, even for the scenes that are full of drama. With the unwarranted intensity of the performance, the listener is more annoyed than sympathetic with Kiran's plight. Also, DasGupta does not always follow her own in-text cues, most notably chanting when characters are supposedly singing. A disappointing production of what could have been a great tale.

(Fantasy. 8-12)

Pub Date: June 26, 2018

Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins

Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks

Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026

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    THE BOOK OF THREE

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    A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.

    AGES 8+

    Pub Date: N/A

    Duration: 5 hrs

    Publisher: Listening Library

    Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026

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      POSY BATES, AGAIN

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      Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"

      Pub Date: N/A

      Duration: 1 hr

      Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers

      Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026

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