It’s September 1962--the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis--and Secretary of State Dean Rusk declaims to a globe perched on the brink of nuclear annihilation, “We’re standing at the gates of hell.” Just so, metaphorically speaking, is the existence of Bobby Burns in the coal-mining British countryside of Keely Bay, as depicted by David Almond in this unique young adult novel. Daniel Gerroll’s powerful reading captures the mystery of the three leading characters: Bobby, the working-class schoolboy narrator who is just beginning to comprehend the menace in the world; McNulty, the fire-eater/ escapologist, whose scarred and tattooed body and growling commentary depict a weighty symbolism; and Daniel, the genteel classmate, whose passion for justice infects Bobby, leading him into new psychological and philosophical territory. By turns earnest, breathy, terrifying, and reverent, Gerroll’s reading is compelling, his pacing masterful, his narration entirely faithful to the emotional truth of Almond’s outstanding text.
Ages 10+Pub Date: May 11, 2004
Duration: 4 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781400085651
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Catch up with the Miller family through the voice of the youngest child.
Keylor Leigh narrates this fifth and final novel in the Miller Family series, this time focusing on the youngest family member, 10-year-old Poppy. Still grieving the death of her father, Poppy is facing a Thanksgiving with lots of changes in the people around her—her brother, Billy, is returning from college; her lovelorn sister, Sal, is rebelling; and her mother has a new male friend. Luckily, Poppy has her art to help her cope. Leigh takes Poppy through these challenges with a youthful voice filled with exasperation, desperation, anticipation, and, always, love. Leigh ably conveys Sal's sarcasm and portrays Billy’s coming-of-age.
Catch up with the Miller family through the voice of the youngest child. (Fiction. 6-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 4 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063517196
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life.
Fourteen-year-old Tessa lives in a dystopian world with a leader who has banned books and taken away the personal liberties of its citizens. Elise Arsenault establishes a steady pace with her narration. When an older neighbor is taken to elder care, Tessa finds a box of forbidden books in her house that changes everything. Arsenault captures Tessa’s tumultuous emotions as she learns about the past and discovers that her long-lost twin brother, Theo, who disappeared years ago, may still be alive. Fans of Lowry’s The Giver will be intrigued by this world, one that feels frighteningly plausible.
Arsenault’s passionate performance brings this alternative world to life. (Dystopian. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 49 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063515130
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
