”Niño!” To a background of wild cheering and jaunty music, young wrestler Niño hears his name and enters an (imaginary) ring. Narrator Adriana Sananes is as animated as the crowd and as pumped up as Niño himself. Her voice speeds and slows, rises and falls with the thrill of each bout. One by one Niño takes on his opponents—from the Guanajuato Mummy to El Chamuco—and sometimes outwits them with a “tickle tackle” or distracts them with a puzzle to solve. When the three o’clock alarm sounds in the recording, it’s time for Niño’s little sisters—LAS HERMINITAS—to awaken from their nap. And they’re Niño’s biggest challenge of all! The production concludes with notes about the Mexican form of wrestling known as LUCHA LIBRE.
(Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 7, 2015
Duration: 6 mins
DD ISBN: 9781633798489
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Live Oak Media recently caught our attention with this new read-along book and cassette program. We listened first, and were so delighted we couldn't wait to get the book. The picture book made the experience even better, but the audio recordings was strong and vibrant by itself. THE GARDENER, Sarah Stewart's Depression-era story of a young girl sent to live with her Uncle Jim in the city has a sweet, wistful quality with narration alone, but coupled with David Small's soft-edged pencil illustration, it's a total delight. The reading is repeated on both sides of the tape, one with and without page-turning signals.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Edwards gives a soulful performance.
Young Juniper visits her grandmother's house, where Grandma tells her about their ancestors from Africa and their practice of hoodoo. Together, Juniper and Grandma tend to the garden, go for walks in the woods, attend church, create herb-filled mojo bags, and visit the cemetery to place offerings for their ancestors, whom Grandma says are always with them. Narrator Janina Edwards conveys Grandma’s wisdom with an earthy and relaxed narration, expressing a clear connection with the natural world, a refuge for both of them. Edwards also handily portrays Juniper's sense of wonder as she navigates this spiritual connection, inspiring listeners to pay attention to the world around them.
Edwards gives a soulful performance. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 13 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349168703
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: today
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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