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