by Walter Dean Myers ; Read by Peter Francis James ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2000
Young Steve Harmon, the 16-year-old narrator, is a promising filmmaker who, in an attempt to get some distance from the felony murder he is charged with and the bleakness of his future if convicted, narrates the story of his trial in the form of a movie screenplay he might make. This interesting idea is fraught with unfortunate consequences for both reader and listener. Peter Francis James, at his best with the rolling cadences of Southern Black dialect, is forced into a series of annoying interruptions: "voice over . . ." and "cut to . . ." Young Steve Harmon gets his distance, but, unfortunately, so does the listener. A compelling story and powerful reader are offered up to a gimmicky form.
(Fiction. 12-14)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 4 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Hien Nguyen ; Read by Hien Nguyen , Carolina Do , Rebecca Ho & Chantria Tram ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 9, 2025
This young adult audiobook is full of secrets and lies.
When they were 4, identical twins Aria and Caliste’s mother, Grace, disappeared, and the sisters were separated. Years later, Grace’s body is discovered in a lake haunted by the Ghoul. The two young women travel to Minnesota and uncover family secrets—including each other’s existence. Narrators Rebecca Ho and Chantria Tram capture the twins’ emotions as they discover what has been kept hidden from them. Carolina Do exquisitely performs the point of view of the Ghoul. However, audible pick-ups make this production sound uneven and may distract from the listening experience.
This young adult audiobook is full of secrets and lies.Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217157983
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
by Clay McLeod Chapman ; Read by Dominique Salvacion ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 11, 2025
Awards & Accolades
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Narrator Dominique Salvacion's emotionally vulnerable performance suits this young adult horror audiobook. Kyra, the adopted child of a drug addict, is haunted by disturbing nightmares connected to her childhood. Now a viral video challenge revolving around a new recreational drug is circulating at her high school, changing the students around her. Salvacion depicts Kyra's growing anxiety as friends and family change overnight. The new boy at school is the only other person who notices the strangeness settling into the town. Conversations between a distressed Kyra and the emotionally stunted drug users are especially poignant. Salvacion adjusts her pacing masterfully to immerse listeners in the developing horrors.
(Horror. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217158171
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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