Nine narrators lend their voices and talents to the intimate stories of undocumented immigrants who were brought to America as children and who lived in the shadows until the passage of Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The stories are presented as interviews, and the first-person confessional style lends itself well to audio, creating powerful performances that express the urgency, pain, and uncertainty that is universal among the anonymous contributors. In this flawless production, listeners are first introduced to three siblings who are escaping violence in Mexico. Each sibling speaks through a different narrator, and the performance has a familial back and forth. Lauren Ezzo give a stand-out solo performance as a young Samoan immigrant. Ezzo picks up a natural cadence and infuses the right amount of optimism and fear into the young person's voice.
(Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
Duration: 4 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Brilliance Audio/ Candlewick
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
Lipica Shah's stirring narration of this YA biography showcases Emma Goldman's unshakable commitment to improving the lives of the oppressed. In 1885, Goldman immigrated to the U.S. from czarist Russia and became an ardent anarchist. A prolific writer and inspirational speaker, she gave hundreds of well-attended speeches each year. When quoting Goldman, Shah exudes the intensity of her quest to elevate America's working class. When quoting from any of the thousands of period newspaper articles about Goldman, Shah mimics their predominantly disapproving tone. Goldman was even imprisoned because of her progressive positions on government, workers' rights, sex, and birth control. Never deterred, Goldman was once considered the most dangerous woman in America.
(Biography. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250415134
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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