Narrator Annie Q's youthful exuberance reflects 11-year-old Mo Gallagher's newfound passion for collecting family recipes and her hope for a new home. The death of her beloved grandmother/guardian has resulted in Mo's placement into foster care. As she grows a website and adjusts to the many changes in her life, Annie Q's delivery reflects Mo's buoyant tone and resilient spirit. Annie Q also captures Mo's periodic anger and feelings of disappointment. With her skillful accents, Annie Q provides verisimilitude to the people from many cultures who reach out to Mo with recipes. When Mo's plans go awry, Annie Q's portrayals project the comforting warmth of those who support her. Recipe downloads enhance this production for listeners who love to cook.
(Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Feb. 21, 2023
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593666784
Publisher: Listening Library
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
The plot, performances, and production are funny and engaging and make Pedro’s world feel vibrant and full.
This full cast audio rendition of a graphic memoir conveys the energy and brightness of that visual medium. The story recounts Pedro’s challenging but hopeful and humorous childhood as a migrant farmworker in the U.S., growing up with dreams of a life in the arts. Sound effects and musical interludes punctuate the narrative. Plates rattle as an earthquake shakes a restaurant, and birds sing in the bushes on a berry farm as Pedro’s family works. The animated performances by this large cast, especially the boyish voice of Oscar Emmanuel Fabela as Pedro, are perfect to hook preteen listeners—and adults, too.
The plot, performances, and production are funny and engaging and make Pedro’s world feel vibrant and full. (Graphic memoir. 10-16)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 38 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217349708
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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