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Learn about the Triple Nickles, a group of unsung African-American soldiers who became part of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion during World War II in the starred audiobook review of Courage Has No Color, written by Tanya Lee Stone and narrated by JD Jackson.
The Happy Racers’ latest album, Ready Set Go, embraces all the fun and wonders of childhood. Here’s the starred review of the CD.
When stories and informational audiobooks are paired together, they create a winning combination that can help students establish a foundation of knowledge about certain topics.
Check out the starred review of the audiobook Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt, narrated by Emily Durante.
The children’s music CD Got a Minute? features Milkshake’s outstanding vocal and instrumental performances. Be sure to read the starred review.
The Funky Mama’s new album, Pickin’ in the Garden, presents 15 upbeat, lively songs in folk, country, rock Latin, bluegrass, ragtime, and funk musical styles. Don’t miss the review of their CD.
Don’t miss the starred review of Learning Station’s Action! Fun! Dance! For Kids, a new album of 14 rousing songs that will get children up and moving.
Ruby is torn between her high school friends and a new girl who is aloof and refuses to follow the rules in Stephanie Guerra’s novel, Torn, that is authentically narrated by Casey Holloway in this starred audiobook production.
Learn about the man behind the hat and mustache in Sid Fleischman’s well-researched biography, Sir Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World, superbly narrated by Fred Sullivan. Don’t miss this starred audiobook version.
In The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There, Catheryne Valente seamlessly and brilliantly blends elements of fantasy, mythology, and historical fiction to create a magical world so cunningly described that it’s utterly believable. S. J. Tucker distinctly voices all the characters in this starred audiobook version of the novel.
Narrator JD Jackson brings to life Gigi Amateau’s historical novel, Come August, Come Freedom, set in Colonial Virginia prior to the Civil War. Don’t miss this starred audiobook version.
Steve Pierson and his Los Angeles-based band Jambo rock as they perform 14 original feel-good songs on their second album for kids, Hootenanny. Be sure to read the starred review.
The thrilling conclusion the Keepers Trilogy, a fantasy adventure series, is not be missed. Read why the audiobook version is SLJ’s Pick of the Day.
The expert narration coupled with a powerful and heartfelt story make E.M. Kokie’s Personal Effects audiobook a must-have for all high school and public library collections.
Necromancing the Stone , sequel to Lish McBride’s Hold Me Closer Necromancer, is as darkly hilarious, horrifically suspenseful, and heartbreaking as the first book.
With their emphasis on clear observation, logical thinking, and well-drawn conclusions, mysteries support many Common Core State Standards and lend themselves to an array of interesting writing assignments. These audiobooks are sure to spark student interest.
“Rich symbolism abounds, and many common threads are woven together” in Sharon Creech’s The Great Unexpected. Read SLJ’s starred review of the audiobook version.
Sophia’s War. By Avi. 6 cassettes or 6 CDs. 7:15 hrs. Recorded Books. 2012. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4703-2043-0, CD: ISBN 978-1-4703-2042-3. $66.75.
Gr 5-9–Set in 1776 during the American Revolution when New York was under siege by the British, Avi’s tale (S & S/Beach Lane Books, 2012) of resistance features an amazing female protagonist, trials aplenty as she tries to avenge her brother’s death, and a little romance thrown in for good measure. Sophia’s family believes in freedom and desperately wants America [...]
Ozomatli Presents OzoKids. CD. approx. 37 min. Hornblow Group/Megaforce Records. 2012. ISBN unavail. $11.98.
PreS-Gr 3–The Grammy award-winning Los Angeles-based Latin fusion group, Ozomatli, continues to defy being pigeon-holed. Never afraid to try new things, they accepted a challenge from PBS television to shed gang-violence and explicit lyrics and record several education-focused songs. Their new album is aimed at youngsters yet maintains a gritty, urban edge that should have wide appeal. Fusing Latino, hip-hop, reggae, techno pop, and rock, these 14 [...]
We Are America: A Tribute from the Heart. By Walter Dean Myers. CD. 33:51 min. with hardcover book. Live Oak Media. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4301-1112-2. $29.95.
Gr 3 Up–The sweeping scope of Myers’s free verse poems (HarperCollins, 2011) is captured beautifully and interpreted dramatically on this CD by a diverse cast of narrators. This eminently patriotic book celebrates free expression and attempts to paint with word pictures the depth and breadth of the varied American experience. Rarely are all ethnicities given voice [...]
