Music featuring a single trombone precedes Dion Graham’s narration of this picture-book autobiography by "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, a New Orleans native and Grammy Award-nominated musician. Then, the first words of the audiobook—“Where y’at?”—greet listeners with an energetic New Orleans welcome. Graham draws listeners of all ages into an experience that’s lyrical in word, illustration, and music. His dynamic reading blends with Andrews’s words and music to dramatize everything from Shorty’s weak initial efforts on the trombone to the crowds who roar with pleasure as he shares the stage with Bo Diddley. Andrews refers to creating "a musical gumbo," and the metaphor represents this audiobook perfectly. There is the richness, variety, and spice of this New Orleans dish in Bryan Collier’s mixed-media illustrations, the vocal range of Graham’s reading, and the lively music and animated soundscape.
(Picture book/biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2017
Duration: 13 mins
Publisher: Live Oak Media
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
This is a very brief introduction to the 6,888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of WWII. Jade Wheeler narrates with crisp enunciation, slow pacing, and buoyant admiration for the work of the Black women serving in the newly desegregated U.S. Army. Letters from home were a great morale builder for the troops. The Six Triple Eight was deployed in the U.S. and overseas to manage the sorting and delivery of millions of pieces of backlogged mail. Although more than 850 women served, 6 individual service members are named during the story. Wheeler delivers their names in a tone of respect. The credits are accompanied by 1940s-style jazz music. The PDF included contains a timeline, a glossary, and further reading.
(Informational picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
Duration: 11 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063459748
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
