Although it's aimed at middle-grade listeners, this collection of important American speeches is enlightening for those of all ages. In the introductions, narrator Lisa Renee Pitts's spirited voice delivers the historical contexts and legacies of the speeches, unflinchingly detailing which Founding Fathers were slaveholders and explaining complicated politics. Pitts also delivers the three speeches by women with a fiery passion; Fannie Lou Hamer's speech is especially moving. The other 12 speeches are delivered in Prentice Onayemi's resonant, authoritative voice. His subtle accents authentically bring to life a diverse group of speakers, including Abraham Lincoln, Lou Gherig, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez. An accompanying pdf provides a color-coded timeline of America, beginning with the Revolution and dotted with thumbnail portraits of the orators.
(Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2020
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062969088
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ken Coleman's expertise as a baseball announcer enriches this history of the Boston Red Sox since the sale of Babe Ruth to the N.Y. Yankees. He leads off with a grim account of this transaction, which started the curse that has plagued the Red Sox ever since. The sermon-like tone will amuse non-believers and comfort listeners who are certain the team is cursed. Like the ups and downs of Boston's play through the years, the narrator's voice fluctuates--exuberant and then despondent--in tone and tempo accurately reflecting the mood of any given baseball season. The narrator is very successful at conveying the emotional roller coaster ride Red Sox fans have endured as a result of the curse of the Bambino.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The plot, performances, and production are funny and engaging and make Pedro’s world feel vibrant and full.
This full cast audio rendition of a graphic memoir conveys the energy and brightness of that visual medium. The story recounts Pedro’s challenging but hopeful and humorous childhood as a migrant farmworker in the U.S., growing up with dreams of a life in the arts. Sound effects and musical interludes punctuate the narrative. Plates rattle as an earthquake shakes a restaurant, and birds sing in the bushes on a berry farm as Pedro’s family works. The animated performances by this large cast, especially the boyish voice of Oscar Emmanuel Fabela as Pedro, are perfect to hook preteen listeners—and adults, too.
The plot, performances, and production are funny and engaging and make Pedro’s world feel vibrant and full. (Graphic memoir. 10-16)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 38 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217349708
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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