Listeners young and old cherish the story of Mike Mulligan and his trusty steam shovel, Mary Anne, now celebrating its 75th year. Matthew Broderick’s evenly modulated voice is as unflappable as Mike is when faced with adversity. It was Mike Mulligan, Mary Anne, “and some others” who dug the great canals and train tunnels and created roads and airplane runways. When people would gather to watch, they’d “dig a little faster and a little better.” Broderick’s narration is light, purposeful, and crisp. He lets Burton’s repeated phrases resonate, and he voices a cantankerous Henry B. Swap. The background music is tailored to the story, and energetic sound effects—train whistles, hissing engines, cheering crowds—help create delightful visual pictures for listeners.
Ages 4-6Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2014
Duration: 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780544279926
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Lemony Snicket, who became known for challenging listeners’ vocabularies in his Series of Unfortunate Events, chooses 13 seemingly random words and arranges them into the story of a “despondent” bird and a dog who tries to cheer his friend by visiting a “haberdashery” to buy a hat with “panache.” Michael Emerson’s intonations and phrasing allow listeners to picture characters and settings even without Maira Kalman's illustrations. He encourages listeners to savor the sounds of words as the author intended. Who wouldn’t buy a hat from a breathy sales-baby who describes “panache” as “a kind of verve or swagger”? In an amazing artistic interpretation, Snicket’s final word, “mezzo-soprano,” becomes an opera of the book, created by real-life composer Nico Muhly.
Ages 8+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2010
Duration: 6 mins
DD ISBN: 9781443404433
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Author and narrator Enrique Flores-Galbis is a master of duality in this nuanced story of the Cuban revolution. His writing and narration are superb. In both, his humble style of storytelling is arresting. When revolution comes to Cuba, Julian is just a boy. He doesn’t even know what a revolution is. In leaving Cuba and losing his family, Julian finds new ways in which he’s both vulnerable and strong. Flores-Galbis’s voice embodies the contradictions of Julian’s experience. We hear that vulnerability in a soft, almost hesitant, voice; underneath is a quiet confidence. The pacing ebbs and flows as naturally as the tide between Havana and Miami as Julian figures out what is right and determines to do his part to help.
Ages 10+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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