Review: Roald Dahl

Happy 100th Birthday, Roald Dahl!

It's amazing to see (and hear) the impact an author can have on readers all over the world. Since The BFG has been created into a movie, a book club that I joined decided to read it. This is my first time reading The BFG. I really appreciated that I had the opportunity to hear a brief biography about Dahl in the audiobook: Who Was Roald Dahl? before hearing The BFG. 

Who Was Roald Dahl? was a great companion audiobook before reading one of his books. It was very informative without being too much information for young readers. Dahl's life was full of ups and downs. He had love and loss. His boarding school days greatly influenced his stories. He truly focused on writing books for children and I could hear that in The BFG. 

Rene Ruiz narrated Who Was Roald Dahl? This is the first audiobook I have heard Rene Ruiz read. Nonfiction can be rather dry versus a novel, but I thought it was interesting. Ruiz shared the biography well. I would listen to Ruiz again.

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The BFG version I heard was read by David Walliams. Again, another new narrator for this listener. Walliams is an English actor and his accent help make the story come alive. Dahl was also British so it makes sense to have another Englishman share his story. The BFG's voice was very memorable for me. All of the creative words Dahl created were read smoothly throughout the entire story. I would like to hear Walliams again.

As for the book itself, I don't need to read it again. I can hear the fun Dahl created for children in his book. I think I'm too adult for it. The words Dahl created sometimes annoyed me. I also was not a fan of the other giants who ate people. I know it's a pretend story, but that thought makes me grimace and my stomach twist. Dahl's writing is very unique. I think he'll continue to be popular all over the world.

Who Was Roald Dahl? I received this audiobook from Penguin Random House for an honest review. Thank you, Listening Library! 

The BFG was reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
Who Was Roald Dahl? by True Kelley
Series: Who Is / Who Was series
Read by Rene Ruiz
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 1
Total Time: 1 hour, 2 minutes
Release Date: June 7, 2016
ISBN: 9780735205512

Audio Book Details...
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Read by David Walliams
Produced by Penguin Audio / Midwest Tapes
Number of Discs: 1
Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Release Date: 2013
ISBN: 9781611761887

Review: The Soccer Surprise

Author David A. Kelly continues his new mystery series, MVP or Most Valuable Players, with The Soccer Surprise. The students from book one, The Gold Medal Mess, are back. Instead of an all school event, it is soccer season and the students want to save an old field house. They think of an fundraiser to help save the field house, but along the way someone is tampering with the building.

It's a good story for young mystery readers. A touch of danger at the field house, but nothing harmful to the MVPs. The mystery can be followed and solved by the reader. If readers enjoyed book one, they will like book two.

Tonya Cornelisse returns to narrate The Soccer Surprise. I love consistent narrators with audiobooks. Cornelisse maintains her voices during the story and is able to share a variety of characters from guys, gals, children, and adults. You can hear a sample from The Soccer Surprise on Listening Library's website.


I received this audiobook from Penguin Random House for an honest review. Thank you, Listening Library!


Audio Book Details...
The Soccer Surprise by David A. Kelly
Series: 02, MVP (Most Valuable Players)
Read by Tonya Cornelisse
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 1
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Release Date: May 24, 2016
ISBN: 9780399569272 / 9780399569265

Review: Waiting for Augusta

Earlier this year I heard Nooks & Crannies by Jessica Lawson. Over the summer I listened to Lawson's newest youth novel, Waiting for Augusta. Both books were captivating, but very different in their locations and history.

Waiting for Augusta is set in the South (Alabama and Georgia) during the 1970's. Segregation is happening as well as the Masters. Benjamin Putter seeks to give his dead father one last wish - to have his ashes spread on the 18th hole at Augusta National. He runs away from home with his father's urn and another young runaway, Noni. They both have a mission of unfinished business and it will take a trip to the golf course to see them both resolved.

Luke Daniels narrated Waiting for Augusta. This the first full length book I have heard Daniels narrate. Previously, I heard him briefly in The Chronicles of Harris Burdick. I was very impressed with his voices and characters. Ben Putter hears the voices of things around him. Each character that spoke was different. I think the hardest, but possibly the most memorable was the voice of a clock. I could make out all the words, but it sounded like a ticking clock! Very impressive vocal work, Mr. Daniels. I would definitely listen to another book read by Luke Daniels.

The narration was my favorite part of the book. The story line was heartrending then terribly tragic for me. Benjamin Putter works through his grief and misunderstandings with his father which was an interesting listen. I appreciated the theme of golf because very few children's books offer that as sports theme. Noni's story (which she doesn't share until near the end) took my breath away. I have no words for what happened to her. I tried explaining it to other readers and I just ended up crying all over again. My body hurts just thinking about her story. Well done on the realism, Ms. Lawson.

Some readers will love this story and I think others will never want to read it. I am closer to the never read it camp. It's a lot of emotion packed into one book.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Dreamscape Media!

I received this audiobook for free from Audiobook Jukebox for an honest review.

Audio Book Details...
Waiting for Augusta by Jessica Lawson
Read by Luke Daniels
Produced by Dreamscape Media
Number of Discs: 7
Total Time: 8 hours, 27 minutes
ISBN: 9781520004693