As both author and narrator, Tim Federle delivers a wholly satisfying conclusion to his funny, smart, heartwarming Nate series. When Nate returns to Jankburg, Pennsylvania, after appearing on Broadway, he's sure that his freshman year of high school is going to be awful. After all, he's a boy who likes musicals (and, secretly, other boys)--and no one back home except his best friend Libby understands him. With a voice full of snark and longing, enthusiasm and confusion, Federle embodies Nate, making sure that WE understand him, too. When an assignment for English class gives Nate the idea to stage a musical version of GREAT EXPECTATIONS, he finds a place for himself and makes unexpected connections with his classmates and even his parents. You'll want to give Nate, and Federle, a standing ovation.
(Fiction 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508261124
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
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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