The Haunting of Charles Dickens

The Haunting of Charles Dickens by Lewis Buzbee

Meg Pickel's older brother, Orion, has gone missing. She is determined to find him and the Dicken's novel that he took with him. As she spies a seance from a neighbor's roof, she meets author Charles Dickens. With the help of Mr. Dickens, Meg and Charles set out to find Orion in the city of London.

The haunting begins with the seance seen from the roof. The mysterious gathering is a cover for more dangerous activity with lost and stolen children. With a ghostly character named Peter, the ghostly haunting is done. The haunting refers to the sleepless nights of Dickens and Meg. Meg is searching for her missing brother and a way to help the lost children of London. Dickens seeks a muse for another book. They are haunted by circumstances.

I am not a fan of ghostly tales, so this take on hauntings was refreshing. Readers who enjoy historical fiction will enjoy this tale. A fictional look at an author is imaginative and fun. Buzbee's piece can open the readers to the world of Dickens, his stories and his London. This is an excellent jumping point for researching the life and times of Charles Dickens, historical London, or children workers.

Ralph Lister, a UK-trained actor, reads this piece. A British voice is needed with a book based in London and Lister shares a wonderful rendition.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Haunting of Charles Dickens by Lewis Buzbee
Read by Ralph Lister
Produced by Brilliance Audio
Number of Discs: 8
Total Time: 9 hours, 47 minutes

The Whites Of Their Eyes by Andrew Clements

The last day of school is coming closer and Benjamin Pratt is running out of time. Jill and Ben need another Keeper of the School. Janitor Lyman is upping the game with technology and they need to outsmart him. The school and its history needs to survive!

With each new addition to Clements series, I am left on the edge of my seat. Clements is writing a series that is reminiscent of the serialized novels of the 1800's. Readers from the past would wait for book chapters to be printed in the newspaper. Once the complete story was finished, printers would publish the novel in several novels (think Charles Dickens). I want to read the whole book in one sitting and Clements is drawing the readers along so cleverly. Bravo! I cannot wait for the next installment!

Keith Nobbs returns to narrate the third Keepers of the School. With the first words, the characters spring back to mind immediately. I look forward to his next rendition of the Keepers of the School.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Whites of Their Eyes by Andrew Clements
Series: Book 3, Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School
Read by Keith Nobbs
Produced by Simon & Schustler Audio
Number of Discs: 4
Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
 
To use Bartoletti's words, the story of Hitler Youth is "complicated, riveting, and turns the heart over." The author spent two years studying to give listeners (and readers) a glimpse into twelve years of history.

I cannot describe the stories in this non-fiction piece. After watching the History Channel's series on The Third Reich, this audiobook was very intriguing find on the library shelf. It was amazing and heart stopping to hear how children and young people played such a large role in history. I would highly recommend this book.

The enhanced CD adds another layer of interest. The photos are from archives and personal albums (shown with permission). If the book is not available, the added photographs on the CD are a great plus.

Kathrin Kana reads Hitler Youth along with the author. Her voice is deep and serious. Her accent on German names and places is wonderful and genuine.

Reviewed from a library copy.


Audio Book Details...
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Read by Kathrin Kana and Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 4
Total Time: 4 hours, 27 minutes

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: 14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

For more than twenty-five years, readers have been puzzling over the illustrations by this enigmatic artist. Thousands of children have been inspired to weave their own stories to go with his intriguingly titled pictures. And now, some of our most imaginative storytellers attempt to solve the perplexing mysteries of Harris Burdick.

Enter The Chronicles of Harris Burdick to hear this incredible collection of stories: magical, humerous, creepy, poignant, inscrutable, these are tales you will not forget.

Readers who enjoy slightly scary and strange stories will appreciate Van Allsburg's collection. The biggest difference between the book and audiobook is, of course, the illustrations. It would have been nice to have a leaflet of the illustrations with the audiobook. I was fortunate to have the book and audiobook checked out at the same time.

Three readers were included in this drama - Cassandra Campbell, Christopher Lane, and Luke Daniels. I assumed that readers would rotate between stories, but they did not. Campbell told all the stories and the gentlemen read the introduction at the beginning and the original introduction at the end. Campbell has a pleasant voice. The pauses between the stories were too quick for my taste. Music, extended pauses, or even a second reader would have a been appreciated between each story.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: 14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg
Read by Cassandra Campbell, Christopher Lane, and Luke Daniels
Produced by Brilliance Audio
Number of Discs: 6
Total Time: 6 hours, 19 minutes

The Unwanteds

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Quill runs a severe classification system between Wanteds and Unwanteds. Wanted individuals follow the rules and do their jobs. Unwanteds show trouble or artistic leanings. When Quillians reach age 13, they attend the Purge. Wanteds become members of society while Unwanteds face the Eliminators. Unknown the to Wanteds, the Unwanteds enter a world of Artime that encourages creativity as a gift and as a weapon. The time is coming when Artime will be revealed.

The Kirkus Review quote on the cover reads, "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter." Don't be fooled by comparing books. The Unwanteds can stand on it's own in the fantasy genre. Yes, there is magic like Harry Potter and yes, there are teens caught in a battle like Hunger Games. McMann adds talking statues and uncommon creatures. She pits siblings against each other and divides families and friends. She also opens to the doors to new friendships and the new lifestyles found in the colorful world of Artime. The Unwanteds is the first book of McMann's fantasty series. The second novel, Island of Silence, is coming in August of 2012. I am looking forward to hearing more about artistic Artime and colorless Quill.

Simon Jones reads this unabridged recording of The Unwanteds. His characters are distinctive and enjoyable. His natural accent is also enjoyable on the ears. I hope he returns to read McMann's second book.
Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
Series: Book 1, The Unwanteds
Read by Simon Jones
Produced by Simon & Schustler Audio
Number of Discs: 7
Total Time: 480 minutes

The Son of Neptune

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan


The Heroes of Olympus return! In the previous novel, The Lost Hero, a new camper arrived at Camp Half-Blood. The Son of Neptune picks up the other half of the story with the reappearance of our good friend Percy Jackson. Instead of returning to Camp Half-Blood, he is drawn to the Roman camp. His memories are gone, but his new friends help me maintain his grip on reality and even team up on a quest to the Alaska, the edge of the world!

Riordan is very compelling writer. I started listening to The Lightning Thief with the intent to become familiar with the series. I never thought to continue. Yet, here is a review for book two of series two. Riordan's books are excellent reads for tweens, teens, and adults. On a side note, recently watching The Eagle (2011) helped my understanding of Romans and their dedication to the eagle (pictured on the front of the novel).

Joshua Swanson returns as the reader. I appreciated that the selected reader for the series is consistent, but Swanson is not my preferred voice actor. I have grown accustomed to his renditions, but they fall flat for me. You might wonder why I bother to continue to listen rather than read. I began the Olympian series as audiobooks, so I must finish the series as an audiobook. It's consistency.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
Series: Book 2, Heroes of Olympus
Read by Joshua Swanson
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 11
Total Time: 13 hours, 28 minutes

The Sixty-Eight Rooms

The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Welcome to a new view of the Thorne Rooms from the Art Institute of Chicago. The Thorne Rooms are miniatures that depict different times and places in history. While on a field trip, Jack and Ruthie discover the magic of the Thorne Rooms. It goes beyond the historic details of each room. Jack find a key and when Ruthie holds it, the key takes her on an unforgettable journey to the present and the past.
Malone grew up in the Chicago area and shares the lives of two elementary students living in the Midwest. Her background in art history and her familiarity with the Thorne Rooms clearly shows. It was nice to read a book placed in the Midwest. I enjoyed the magic of walking around a miniature room with Ruthie and Jack. It was exciting to see how the past and present collided. Towards the ending, I felt it could have ended in several places, but Malone continued to include tidbits for a second book. I am intrigued to see how the story unfolds.
Cassandra Campbell shared the story. She has a comfortable voice with pleasant differences between characters. I enjoyed the distinctive qualities between the historic characters. I hope Campbell returns for the second Sixty-Eight Rooms book.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone
Series: Book 1, The Sixty-Eight Rooms
Read by Cassandra Campbell
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 6
Total Time: 7 hours

The Flint Heart

The Flint Heart by Katherine Paterson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Jump into the world of British fairy tales! John Paterson and his wife Katherine freely adapted Eden Phillpott's original story, The Flint Heart. They modernized the tale for today's readers. If you are a lover of fairy tales, find this treasure. Brilliance Audio also included an amazing afterword with Katherine Paterson.

The story reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. The pieces fit together, but in unexpected ways. Mysterious creatures and inanimate objects come to life! Reader Ralph Lister is enjoyable to hear. His UK training is appreciated considering this is an English story.

When you finish this tale, you might be interested in finding the original. The Flint Heart is an old story and isn't easy to find. I recommend Google Books to view of copy of Philpott's original tale.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Flint Heart freely adapted by Katherine Paterson & John Paterson
Read by Ralph Lister
Produced by Brilliance Audio
Number of Discs: 4
Total Time: 4 hours, 10 minutes

Operation Yes

Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Operation Yes intrigues the reader with the toy army men on the cover. I personally never read the back cover. I liked the army men and figured that the story would be about army men coming to life and saving their owners. Yes, it would be a novel like Toy Story the movie.
I was wrong. After listening to the first track I questioned if I should continue. The story was about Bo, Bo's mom and Bo's cousin Gari. They all worked for the various divisions in the military. I am not too familiar with military life, so this was really eye-opening information. This was a fantastic novel about making your voice heard, living on a military base and learning to open yourself up to new experience. I would highly recommend this book to readers who are looking for realistic fiction or children of today.
Jessica Almasy read Operation Yes. When the story began with a male character, I was taken aback. Usually, male main characters are read by male readers. But Operation Yes is more than Bo; Operation Yes is about Bo and Gari and Miss Loop and all the students in school. I enjoyed Almasy's reading. I especially enjoyed the dynamic sessions in the taped space.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes
Read by Jessica Almasy
Produced by Brilliance Audio
Number of Discs: 6
Total Time: 6 hours, 28 minutes

It Happened on a Train

It Happened on a Train: Brixton Brothers, Book 3 by Mac Barnett




Steve Brixton is finished with being a detective. After discovering the ghostwriter's secret, he is set on throwing away the entire Bailey Brothers series and his own detective agency. Yet, a mystery catches his attention during a train ride. He agrees to come out of retirement, just this once.
The mystery, the danger, the humor! I love the Brixton Brothers books. Every time a another book appears, I cannot wait to get my hands on it. Barnett writes a story that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. I would highly recommend reading the Brixton Brothers (starting with book one, because they do follow an order), to anyone who wants a mystery or humorous story. If the reader enjoys both genres, it's a perfect fit!

Arte Johnson returns to read book 3. Johnson brings perfect animation to the Brixton Brothers. He isn't flamboyant but straight forward in his approach. I hope all future Brixton Brothers books will be read by Johnson.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
It Happened on a Train by Mac Barnett
Series: Book 3, Brixton Brothers
Read by Arte Johnson
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 4
Total Time: 4 hours