The story takes place in the fictional country of Sofarende. Narrator Christy Romano expresses the tenderness among Mathilde's family members even as they're threatened by the bombings in their war-torn town. When Mathilde is given the opportunity to contribute to the war effort and her family's financial well-being, her parents think it's for the best. She passes an "adolescent army aptitude test" and is paid for her impending service. Before she knows it, Mathilde's hidden in a secret location inhabited by brilliant children who decipher patterns, information, and codes. Mathilde feels inferior--though Romano makes her talents clear--until she's given a special mission at which she excels. Through Mathilde's viewpoint, Romano illuminates the horrific effects of war. Listeners disappointed by the cliff-hanger ending will welcome the sequel.
(Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780735286641
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant.
Samara Naeymi beautifully narrates this middle-grade novel about an Iranian American girl. Bullied by her classmates for her frizzy hair and thick eyebrows and criticized by her mother for her weight, Yasmin struggles to be her authentic self in a world that tells her she's not good enough. There are many different perspectives in this story, and Naeymi is true to each: Yasmin’s judgmental mother, with her Persian accent and steely belief in her own harsh parenting; the ruthless teenagers whose hurtful comments cause emotional harm; the younger brother concerned for his sister's unhappiness; and the tried-and-true best friend.
Naeymi’s narration is both raw and triumphant. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 51 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349114861
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2026
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