Narrator Deborah Grausman's youthful voice makes the story of 14-year-old Gerta Rausch all the more horrifying. Sheltered Gerta learns of her Jewish identity when Nazis capture her and her father in 1944. Grausman's emotional reading expresses Gerta's initial confusion, her tender feelings for her papa, and the comfort that music brings her. Musical interludes and Grausman's periodic bursts into song emphasize Gerta's passion for music and her sorrow over losing her singing voice. Gerta's resilience is layered with resentment, grief, and a self-protectiveness that helps her survive three concentration camps but also discourages a loving relationship. The author's depiction of the displaced-persons' camp will be almost as difficult for listeners as hearing what Gerta faces in the concentration camps.
Ages 14+Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2018
Duration: 5 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525526049
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Shayna Small is excellent as she portrays Leena, a 16-year-old girl who is being raised by her single mother, Asiyah. Leena has always dreamed of being part of a big family, but so far her family is just two people. When an unexpected phone call reveals that she has a Muslim grandfather and great-aunt, Leena is forced to rethink everything about her identity and consider the differences between her secular African American mother and her newly discovered relatives. Small's narration perfectly reflects Leena's emotional journey as she is confronted by questions of identity, family, culture, and faith. Listeners will be invested in Leena's exploration of where she came from, who she is, and what her future holds.
(Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2025
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798897567874
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Sophie Amoss narrates this story set in nineteenth-century Russia's Jewish communities. After fleeing from an arranged marriage, 17-year-old Sorel navigates gender identity. Sorel assumes the masculine identity Isser Jacobs, only to learn that Isser Jacobs is a real person who sold illegal political pamphlets translated into Yiddish. Magical elements including dybbuks (angels) and demons, some of whom have Russian accents, are interspersed in the story. Characters speak in hushed tones when discussing censorship, growing determined as they seek answers. Sorel often stutters when flustered, and when Sorel becomes Isser, Amoss uses a deeper voice. Amoss masterfully handles the pronunciation of Yiddish and Hebrew words in this solid, well-paced performance.
(Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2024
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798894862484
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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