Walter Dean Myers bases his story on a pivotal moment in U.S. history, the infamous draft riots of New York City in July 1863. Working-class men rose up against being conscripted to fight the Civil War when the wealthy, by law, could buy themselves out with a $300 Commutation Fee. In the ensuing violence, ongoing tensions came to a head. More than a dozen narrators tell the story of a girl whose Irish mother and black father run a hotel during this time. As violence rages, young Claire questions why the color of someone’s skin matters so much. Myers uses a screenplay device to give scope to the story. The narrators’ segues between narrative and screenplay are a bit abrupt, but this doesn’t mar the listener’s overall enjoyment. The tightly written book is followed by a time line that summarizes events of the day, as well as an interview with the author. Myers’s story brings to light an important part of American history during the Civil War.
Young AdultPub Date: Sept. 22, 2009
Duration: 2 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
"Neither a master nor nigger be," Tall John admonishes "47" early and often in this young adult novel, which is part mystery, part historical fiction, and part science fiction. In one of his final performances, the late, great Ossie Davis has left us with a treasured gift. He becomes "47," a fourteen-year-old slave on the Corinthian Plantation in the year 1832. Davis's wonderful gravelly voice lends a touch of realism to this surreal story. The novel, Mosley's first for young adults, has enough complex layers to keep adults involved. Listen as a family--the story may inspire some interesting discussions on freedom and the dynamics of the master/slave relationship.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In a graceful blending of fact and fiction, Cooper creates a cast of quirky royals who've fallen on hard times. It's 1936. The Nazis are becoming a world force, and 16-year-old Princess Sophie is stuck in the family's "fortified house," on an island kingdom in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, halfway between France and Spain. Emma Bering offers a sweet narration of Sophie's journal entries about highly “un-aristocratic” drudgery, romantic daydreams, dark suspicions, and the surprise presence of some very real Nazis. Bering's childlike voice adds charm to Sophie's spirited observations of her tomboy sister, Henry; brother, Toby; handsome Simon; and brilliant cousin, Veronica. Once young listeners overcome the story’s lengthy exposition in the early parts, they'll find themselves caught up in a thrilling adventure.
Young AdultPub Date: Jan. 12, 2010
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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