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

Music Review: Emily Arrow Storytime Singalong

Have you heard of Emily Arrow? She's a new singer who has created her own genre of music she calls Kidlit Tunes. She takes a book (with permission from the authors) and gives it some music. It's a fun story stretcher and another way to enjoy some literature.

Storytime Singalong Volume One is a great disc to listen to on the way to and from the library or on a road trip or just around the house. Emily Arrow has a sweet voice and her songs have lovely mellow sound.

Most of the songs are bookish tunes, but there are some original songs on the disc as well. There is not CD insert because the case is printed cardboard with plastic piece to hold onto the disc. The inside cover lists the song titles as well as credits for each song. There are no song lengths listed on the case, so I'll include them in my blog post. (I typically check Amazon or AllMusic for CD facts.)




You can get a preview of Emily Arrow's songs on her website. She also shares videos on her website as well. Below is the track list and a few notes from me. The italicized tracks were some of my favorites from Storytime Singalong:

Track List --
1. Books! Books! - [:41] - beginning song - storytime opening song
2. The Dot Song (album version) - [2:36] - book by Peter H. Reynolds - art song
3. Louise Loves Art - [2:56] - book by Kelly Light - art song
4. The Curious Garden Song - [3:18] - book by Peter Brown - garden song
5. Are We There, Yeti? Song - [2:03] - book by Ashlyn Anstee - travel song
6. I am Yoga a Song - [2:41] - book by Susan Verde, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds - calming song
7. One Day, The End Song - [2:39] - book by Kai Dotlich, illustrated by Fred Koehler
8. I Wish You More Song - [2:36] - book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld
9. Poem in Your Pocket - [3:54] - poetry/rhyming song
10. Peanut to My Butter - [2:26] - friendship song
11. Follow Your Arrow - [2:56] - The woosh at the end is wonderful touch.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Album: Storytime Singalong Volume One
Artist: Emily Arrow
Label: Emily Arrow
Genre: Kindie
Length: 28:46
Release Date: February 2016
ASIN: B01B6Q5NXK

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A to Z Challenge - Letter E - Emily Arrow Storytime Singalong Volume 1

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Emily Arrow on Amazon (Affiliate) 

Review: Stella by Starlight

Several years ago, I read about Deza Malone from The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis. Stella Mills from Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper brought Deza to mind. I think Deza and Stella could have been friends if they lived closer to each other. Both girls grow up fast, but grew up strong and caring.

Stella's story is a family story from author Draper. She draws from her grandma and her father. Her grandmother was a writer. She wrote down her life in a diary and only one has survived. Her father grew up on stories from the elders and walked along the roads of North Carolina.

The Mills family lives in (fictional) Bumblebee, North Carolina. One evening in the moonlight, Stella and her little brother Jojo see a burning cross and men in white costumes. The town was already segregated, but a fresh wave of change is here.

It's a story of change and a story of living. Stella gives the listener (or reader) a glimpse of life during the segregated South. It's a story that makes you think. It's a story about finding similarities between you and strangers. It's a story about writing and a story about community. As I stated earlier, this is a great book to read along with The Mighty Miss Malone. Both books are historical keepers. I would recommend them to older elementary students, middle graders, or families who listen together.

Heather Alicia Simms read Stella by Starlight. What a smooth voice to hear! Simms has a gentle quality, even when the events of the story were intense. I would definitely listen to Simms again. She could differentiate between women, men, boys, and girls during her reading. There were songs as well which she sang a capella. Well done!

The only other music in the story was the intro and exit music which folded into the story very well. The intro music was one voice humming a song and the exit music was a choir singing the song. (I could share the song title, but I want to save that treasure for the next listener.)

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper
Read by Heather Alicia Simms
Produced by Simon & Schuster Audio
Number of Discs: 6
Total Time: 6 hours, 46 minutes
Release Date: January 2015
ISBN: 9781442380394

Review: Safe House

Safe House was a very meaty audiobook to hear and digest. I listened in lengthy chunks, then set it aside to reflect on the material Straub presented. Each chapter does include questions to reflect upon. It’s an excellent book to read in a book club, with a spouse, or other parents/safe house members.

Straub outlines his book well. He begins with the parent(s) and their own story (history). He gives the space to reflect on the past and see how it can be a part of their future or their children’s futures. He goes onto explain the characteristics of a safe house: explore, protect, grace, and truth. The house analogy was easy to picture in my mind and I think other listeners can connect well with the analogy as well. He finishes his book with reflective materials on faith and marriage.

Yes, this is a parenting book, but Straub went beyond new or young parents. He includes seasoned parents and to be parents. He includes single parents and parent supporters (grandparents, friends, family members). In addition, he talks about marriage and the partnership or team that marriage creates. A husband and wife team needs to be together in their parenting and in support of each other.

Mike Chamberlain narrated Joshua Straub’s book. Chamberlain has a straightforward and friendly voice, well suited for this non-fiction book. He was expressive throughout each chapter and never over the top. This is the second time I’ve heard Chamberlain narrate a book and I would listen to him again.

I received this audiobook for free from christianaudio for this review.

Audio Book Details...
Safe House: How Emotional Safety is the Key to Raising Kids who Live, Love, and Lead Well by Joshua Straub
Read by Mike Chamberlain
Produced by christianaudio.com
Number of Discs: MP3 download (12 parts)
Total Time: 9 hours, 1 minute
Release Date: October 27, 2015
ISBN: 9781633894679

Review: Switch

Switch is the second companion novel to Savvy. (The other novel is Scumble.) Switch takes place years after Savvy and Scumble and it is a standalone story. Characters from the previous novel are mentioned, but new (and grown) characters are in the forefront.

It's been several years since I enjoyed the Savvy audiobooks. I didn't set the stage by listening to the previous titles. I just jumped right it and it felt like welcoming an old friend back. The storytelling voice of Ingrid Law was strong then and it continues to her latest title! It was so much fun to go back and visit the Beaumonts in Kansaska-Nebransas although they didn't stay their long. A family trip was needed to bring home Grandma Pat. Grandma Pat lives in Colorado and she has Alzheimer's (or Old-timer's disease) and needs assistance. The family packs up to go bring Grandma home, but it's a rough trip after Gypsy recently got her savvy and a switch. Unfortunately (or fortunately) a switch also happened! Everyone's savvy was switched!

It was a riotous adventure for the young Beaumonts. Samson, Gypsy, and Tucker along with new friends in Colorado end up traveling all around Denver in a snowstorm. Quite a dramatic story! But it was sprinkled with humor, sorrow, memories, adventure, and whimsy. If you enjoyed Savvy or Switch, you should definitely listen to (or read) Switch!

For this third book, a new narrator is introduced: Abigail Revasch. I enjoyed listening to Ms. Revasch. I think she captured the youthful voice of Gypsy as well as her family of various ages. I would listen to Revasch again.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
Switch by Ingrid Law
Series: Book 3, Savvy
Read by Abigail Revasch
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 6
Total Time: 7 hours and 26 mins
Release Date: September 2015
ISBN: 9781101925690

Review: Strangers on a Train

Strangers on a Train follows the adventures of Nancy Drew and her friends George and Bess as they continue their journey on the Arctic Star. The Alaskan cruise is nearly to the end of its route and the girls find themselves going in land to Denali National Park home of Mount McKinley. Nancy is still on the lookout for the individual who wants to hurt her. Other instances happen on the boat, the train, and at the park that made her ponder who on earth could wish her harm?

The story picks up right after book one Curse of the Arctic Star. I could not wait to listen to Stranger on a Train. Keene created great cliffhangers for this new series. Putting the two books together, it felt like watch television episodes or a movie split into two parts. The characters were familiar, but the setting different. New incidents, facts, and finds were introduced to keep the story going at a good pace. The danger to Nancy Drew is wrapped up with a great rescue. Nancy (as well as the reader) will be glad to go home to River Heights where danger will be far away. ... Or will it? I don't know. I'll have to find book three and discover what happens when Nancy returns home with George and Bess.

Jorjeana Marie returns to read Strangers on a Train. Again, her voice fit very well with Nancy Drew and the other characters. She is very believable as a teen/young adult and her voice is enjoyable. Her character voices are maintained well from book one to book two. I would listen to her again. You can listen to an audiobook sample on Oasis Audio's website.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Oasis Audio!

Audio Book Details...
Strangers on a Train by Carolyn Keene
Series: Book 2, Nancy Drew Diaries
Read by Jorjeana Marie
Produced by Oasis Audio
Number of Discs: MP3 download (12 parts)
Total Time: 3 hours 19 minutes
Release Date: May 2015
ISBN: 9781613757239

Review: The Shadows

The Shadows by Jacqueline West

There is a mysterious old house on Linden Street. A family of out-of-towners come and buy the amazing house, with all of the previous owners possessions still inside. The father and mother are mathematicians with a creative daughter named Olive. Olive loves to explore all the treasures of the old house. She especially loves to wear the old jewelry and gloves. One day when she puts on a pair of spectacles, she discovers that the pictures all over the house are alive!

Jacqueline West created a new fantasy series about a girl who could enter paintings. It felt like a mix between Neil Gaiman's Coraline and Marianne Malone's The Sixty-Eight Rooms. Yet not as dark as Coraline and not as lighthearted as the Sixty-Eight Rooms. (At least for me, your reading experience can differ greatly from my own.) It was quite a clever story about art and magic together. The familiars in the book add lighthearted silliness to the book. Overall it was a pretty solid story. The acceptance at the end toward the animals staying was a bit cheesy, but I can over look it. The familiars are necessary for the house and how else would they stay except for pure acceptance.

I would recommend this title to older elementary students and middlers. I wouldn't recommend it as a family listen on a car trip because younger listeners might not like the darkness of the book.

Lexy Fridell was the narrator for The Shadows. It took me a whole disc to become accustomed to her voice, but she shares a very good narration. (The familiars have some excellent and outrageous accents!) Her voice reminded me a lot of Kristin Chenoweth.

Reviewed from a library copy.


Audio Book Details...
The Shadows by Jacqueline West
Series: Volume 1, The Books of Elsewhere
Read by Lexy Fridell
Produced by Penguin Audio
Number of Discs: 5
Total Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
ISBN: 9780143145714

Review: The Smallest Gift of Christmas

The Smallest Gift of Christmas by Peter H. Reynolds


Roland raced down the stairs to see his Christmas present. With great disappointment, he saw a small gift under the tree. Roland wanted a bigger present, so he wished for a bigger one. Still not satisfied, he went out in search of a larger present. It wasn't until he was very far away, that he realized what a present could be.

Peter H. Reynolds is so creative and magical when he writes. The unique perspective he shared in his stories captured me. The Smallest Gift of Christmas was beautifully created with digital art and hand-lettering. The message didn't grab me right away. It helped to ponder it a while. I read the book, listened to the audiobook, then followed along in the book while listening to the CD. The message, for me, is about perspective. Perspective is not always an easy thing to understand - for adults or children. When sharing this book, be ready to start a discussion. I would encourage readers to talk about what happened in the book and what it means to them.

The audiobook was read by Peter H. Reynolds, which was a pleasant surprise. He has a very nice voice. A reader could listen to his book over and over again. Dreamscape did add in music at the beginning and end which fit in well with the tone of this Christmas title. They also added in some sound effects that where well suited to the illustrations. There are no page-turn indicators during the audiobook, but there are pauses so book followers can turn the page at the appropriate time.

Book reviewed from a library copy. Audiobook reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Dreamscape Media, LLC!


Audio Book Details...
The Smallest Gift of Christmas by Peter H. Reynolds
Read by Peter H. Reynolds
Produced by Dreamscape Media, LLC
Number of Discs: 1
Total Time: 5 minutes
ISBN: 9781633794993

Sky Raiders

Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull


A haunted house on Halloween goes horribly wrong! Cole and his friends wanted a holiday adventure, but their haunted house hosts take them to another world called the Outskirts. Cole desires to rescue his friends, but he needs more help. The best options are survival and gathering more information about The Five Kingdoms.

Brandon Mull's newest titles, Sky Raiders, is the start of a fantastical adventure in a place called The Five Kingdoms. He weaves contemporary children into a world of magic, power, slavery, and survival. I greatly appreciated how the character of Cole jumped into a new world and needs to inquire about the place where he now lives. It's not out of place questioning throughout the story, so the reader understands the world at the same pace as Cole.

Danger lurks around every corner, but it shouldn't make your hair stand on end. Most dangerous elements in the Five Kingdoms leads to death, so it is best to have a Plan B and learn as much as you can of the new world. Everything cannot be revealed in this first title and Deklan shared it well, "you don't need to understand everything about a world to live in it."

Middlers will enjoy this adventurous tale, but younger ones might be unprepared for the battle and death scenes. I would advise adults to preview the tale for any nervous younger readers.

The story wraps up well as one adventures leads into the next. The cliff hanger is present, but for me, it was a gentler one compared to other titles I've enjoyed. It's reported that the next title comes out later this year. Mark your calendars, readers!

Keith Nobbs shares Brandon Mull's book. I previously heard him read the Keepers of the School series. He has a pleasant tenor voice with different character voices throughout the text. My favorite accents were the Irish ones. Those were such a wonderful surprise! To maintain consistency, I hope Nobbs will return to read the other Five Kingdoms novels.


Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Simon & Schuster Audio!


Audio Book Details...
Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull
Series: Book 1, Five Kingdoms
Read by Keith Nobbs
Produced by Simon & Schuster Audio
Number of Discs: 11
Total Time: 12 hours, 30 minutes
ISBN: 9781442367678

Splendors and Glooms

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

"Newbery Medal winner Laura Amy Schlitz’s Victorian gothic is a rich banquet of dark comedy, scorching magic, and the brilliant and bewitching storytelling that is her trademark."

Clara Wintermute is fascinated with puppets. She requests to have them at her birthday party. Her parents arrange to have Grisini come to the house and present a puppet show with his two young assistants Lizzie Rose Fawr and Parsefall Hooke. The next day, Clara disappears. Grisini is suspesced of kidnapping but the police find nothing in the rented rooms of the puppeteers. Lizzie Rose is saddened, Parsefall is suspicious, and Grisini is smooth and sly. And the twisted tale goes on with magic, travel, mourning, rejoicing, dogs, blood, and reunions!

I began reading this tale last year, but I wanted to listen to it because I heard various good reviews about audio edition. I waited until a local library added it to their catalog and then placed a hold. My original thoughts were very uncertain. I only read a couple chapters, but I had an uneasy feeling about the magic qualities. I adore puppetry, so I wanted to give the complete story a chance.

The magic in the book consisted of supernatural kind with spells and curses rather than the fantastical type with superpowers or time travel. Taking place in Victorian England there were various moments of darkness, fear, poverty, and grime. Every time I heard Grisini's name, I pictured it to be Grease-eeny. He was a greasy character, so the name fit him well. Grisini's "master" was the witch Cassandra. She was quite the manipulator. The children were the best characters and of course the story wrapped around them because this book was written for readers of their ages. Beyond the Clara mystery, Grisini, Cassandra, and the children, there were several other story lines and themes threaded through the book. The Wintermute's were an entire side story with their mourning and recovery. The puppets were also a main theme with first Grisini using them then Parsefall claiming them.

Splendors and Glooms is a very involved story. I would recommend it to Middle Schoolers rather than Elementary students. The story is rather dark and there are a couple language "flourishes" that some parents and readers might not enjoy.

Narrator Davina Porter shared the story well. Her characters were distinct from each other. She captured Parsefall's surliness very well while Lizzi Rose's presice speech reminded me of Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Publishers Weekly Q & A with Author Schlitz

Audio Book Details...
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
Read by Davinia Porter
Produced by Recorded Books
Number of Discs: 10
Total Time: 12 hours
ISBN: 9781449835729

Small Steps

Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Peg Kehret

Peg was looking forward to 7th grade and the Homecoming celebration at school. Before the Homecoming festivities, her muscles began to jump and spasm during school. As Peg walked to class, she collapsed. She was taken home and only grew sicker. Her parents took her to the doctor. The doctor informed Peg and her parent that she had polio.

Peg Kehret revisits her journey from health to sickness and back again. She writes her history as a story with fictional dialogue between friends, family, and acquaintances. Though the dialogue is fictional, her experiences are true. She opens up and shares her struggles and successes of fighting polio. Peg shares the pain of illness and the aches of recovery. It's a beautiful story of courage, determination, family, friendship, and growing up. It's a story that children and adults will enjoy.

Susan Boyce is the narrator for Small Steps. Her gentle narration will delight listeners. Her voice is reminiscent of a beloved teacher reading a story aloud during school. This narrator and non-fiction piece will delight (and not bore) its listeners.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, AudioGo!

Audio Book Details...
Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Peg Kehret
Read by Susan Boyce
Produced by AudioGo
Number of Discs: 0
Total Time: 3 hours, 9 minutes
ISBN: MP3 download via AudioGo

The Spindlers

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver


Beware the Spindlers. They come at night and steal your soul. How do you know if the Spindlers have stolen a soul? Look in the eyes. The eyes will tell you. As haunting as Coraline or as strange as Alice's Wonderland, that's for the reader to decide.

For this reader, Coraline was way more terrifying than The Spindlers. The association with Wonderland is the location - going below. The book that came to mind to this audiobook lover was The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. (It's all about spiders, too.)

Overall, the concept of The Spindlers can be daunting and a bit terrifying for younger listeners (or readers), so if the reader is open to fantastical fiction with a hint of horror this is an excellent book. I would also highly recommend this title to older siblings and/or young woman. The main characters are ladies - Liza, Mirabella, and the Queen (which isn't a focus until reflecting on this piece.) The older sibling theme is strongest and very relate able. Liza must rescue her brother's soul and she will give it her all. He might be too young to understand or care, but she knows it's her job to watch over him.

Simon Vance narrated The Spindlers. For a female heavy cast, he did an amazing job! Each character had a voice and the female voices were wonderfully different from each other. The Spindler's Queen was my favorite voice.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver
Read by Simon Vance
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 4
Total Time: 4 hours, 50 minutes
ISBN: 9780449015001 or 0449015009

Stealing Magic: a Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure

Stealing Magic: A Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure by Marianne Malone


Ruthie and Jack discovered the magic of the Thorne Rooms located at the Chicago Art Institute in The Sixty-Eight Rooms. They made friends and solved mysteries, but their adventure didn't end with the discovery of Mr. Bell's photographs. Ruthie and Jack return to the Thorne Rooms only to discover a thief. Someone is taking objects from the Thorne Rooms!

Malone continues the magic of life in a museum. In Stealing Magic, a life-size mystery is revealed. She intertwines magical objects, art, technology, and student crime solvers. Characters from the first novel also make an appearance to assist Ruthie and Jack throughout the story. Stealing Magic was a faster read than the first novel. The first story lays out the magic and the basics of the Thorne Rooms. This second installment jumps right in, so it is faster paced. I would highly recommend listening (or reading) the first book before venturing into the second.

Cassandra Campbell returns to read Stealing Magic. I love it when narrators continue reading a series! Campbell is a mellow reader and shares the story well.

Reviewed from a library copy.


Audio Book Details...
Stealing Magic: a Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure by Marianne Malone
Series: Book 2, The Sixty-Eight Rooms
Read by Cassandra Campbell
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 5
Total Time: 6.5 hours

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

Secrets of a Civil War Submarine

Secrets of a Civil War Submarine by Sally M. Walker


Non-fiction books can be difficult to wade through for some readers. Audiobooks are a great way to enjoy dynamic stories of history. Susan Walker writes an amazing story about the H.L. Hunley. The Hunley was the first submarine to sink and an enemy ship. (Note: it wasn't the first submarine in history but it was one of the earliest.) Unfortunately, after the sinking of the enemy ship, the Hunley failed to return to port. Years and decades of searching ensued. It wasn't until the 1990's that the Hunley returned to the headlines.


Secrets of a Civil War Submarine follows the history before the discovery and the steps to recover the submarine. This story didn't end with the final audio track either. The Hunley continues to be studied and enjoyed by researches, historians, archeologists, students and more.



Don't assume that non-fiction accounts are dull. J.R. Horne shares the Hunley's tale in an excellent matter-of-fact narration. It's a lively tale that begs readers to learn more about this mysterious piece of history.

If you'd like another Non-fiction Civil War era audiobook, check out Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley by Sally M. Walker
Read by J. R. Horne
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 3
Total Time: 2 hours, 34 minutes 

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr

After reflected upon the tragedies of Japan, I remembered a book that I enjoyed during elementary school. Sadako contracted the "atom bomb disease" otherwise known as leukemia. A friend suggested folding 1,000 paper cranes. If 1,000 paper cranes were folded, a wish would be granted. Sadly, Sadako is overcome and could not fold 1,000 cranes. Yet, this sad story brings so much hope to the reader. It's the hope of looking for opportunity, looking at every day as a fresh, new start. Although, Eleanor Coerr wrote this fictional tale, Sadako was a real little girl. She did fold 1,000 cranes, but still passed away from the "atom bomb disease." She is remembered by people all over the globe. For information about Sadako, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadako_Sasaki


Narrator Christina Moore shares a beautiful story. She is straight forward with difficult topics of sickness and death.




Reviewed from a library copy.



Audio Book Details...
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
Read by Christina Moore
Produced by Recorded Books, LLC
Number of Discs: 1
Total Time: 1 hour (with extras about Eleanor Coerr and Sadako)