Review: Frozen: The Junior Novelization

Frozen: The Junior Novelization by Walt Disney Company

As the title suggests, Frozen: The Junior Novelization is a written out story of the Disney movie Frozen which came out in 2013. The audio of Frozen the chapter book came out in 2014.

Overall the stories are very similar, but the novel fleshes out the storyline a bit more. The songs are not sung in the audio, but the atmosphere of the celebrations are mentioned. The story follows the movie closely. Only two strange items were mentioned that caught my attention - Kristoff's wagon and someone wearing goggles. I don't recall Kristoff driving wagon, but a sled and I don't remember any goggles in the movie. Those two items stood out for me, but all in all that is very minor. Frozen fans will enjoy this version of the popular movie. It is a chapter book, so it might be advanced for little listeners, but if the youngsters want to listen -- by all means share the story!

Andi Arndt narrators the Frozen story. She did a fine job. It was not overly exciting or dry and dull, but right in the middle. If readers are expecting the different characters voices, please remember that the book is read by one narrator. The voices will be slightly different from each other, but they won't be as different as a separate reader for each person.

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

Audio Book Details...
Frozen The Junior Novelization by Disney Press
Read by Andi Arndt
Produced by Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Number of Discs: MP3 download (2 parts)
Total Time: 2 hours, 18 minutes
ISBN: 9781483019635

The Wig in the Window

The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher


Meet Sophie Young and Grace Yang. They are seventh grade detectives as well as BFFs. Their newest case features Luna Vista's unbelievable middle-school counselor, Dr. Charlotte Agford. Young and Yang are teaming up to find out what's wrong the sickeningly sweet, fake counselor.

I selected this title, because it looked like a winner for young ladies who love mysteries. When I started listening, I thought it could be an alternate universe for pre-teen Veronica Mars and her friend Lily. But no, it is not an alternate universe for Marshmallows. Kittscher wrote her own standalone tween crime novel. It took me a while to appreciate this piece. The ridiculous body humor didn't appeal to me, but I can see it causing snickers in a middle school library.

The investigation became more complex as the story unfolded. I appreciated the plot twists (which I won't share, because I don't want to give anything away). The friendship storyline was also well written. Young and Yang are complete opposites, which can work well together, but also create some strife at times. Yet true friendship will stand the test of time and a dedicated detective will always get their man (or woman)!

This is the first time I have heard Amanda Philipson narrate a book. Her voices is well suited for bringing teenagers to life. She also had wonderful enthusiasm!

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher 
 Read by Amanda Philipson
Produced by HarperCollins
Number of Discs: MP3 download (7 parts)
Total Time: 7 hours, 56 minutes
ISBN: 9780062283641

The Interrupted Tale

The Interrupted Tale by Maryrose Wood

More truths and secrets are uncovered in the latest installment of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place book no. 4! Governess Penelope Lumley visits her alma mater, Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, to give a speech at the first annual CAKE (or the Celebrate Alumnae Knowledge Exposition). Upon her arrival she sees that everything about her dearly loved academy is topsy-turvy! She must restore the academy and encourage the Swanburne girls with the help of her dear and imaginative young charges as well as trusted friends.

Oh, Ms. Wood, how you tease and delight! The Interrupted Tale is utterly delightful, charming, and dear. Each Incorrigible book brings so much joy and laughter. I really enjoyed this book because of all the delightful songs and imaginative play of Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia. Glimpses of the true mystery that weaves throughout each book is seen, but there is more to come! I cannot wait for the next Incorrigible story!!

These books do go in order, so starting with book one is a must. Penelope encounters old friends and reveals relations between other past characters. It is a family read that is fun for a car trip or as a read-aloud. Katherine Kellgren is a fantastic narrator of the audiobooks. She masterfully records each book with consistency. Her tunes for the songs will have everyone singing the funny little ditties from the story. I'm still singing the CAKE Day song!

Reviewed from a library copy.


Audio Book Details...
The Interrupted Tale by Maryrose Wood
Series: Book Four, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place
Read by Katherine Kellgren
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs:7
Total Time: 8 hours, 19 minutes
ISBN: 9780385363693

Audiobook SYNC 2014 is Coming!

Are you ready for a fantastic summer of audiobooks? The fun begins Thursday, May 15!

Audiobook SYNC is back for another summer of free YA and Classic books.  The complete list of titles is available on their website.  It's a wonderful mix of Tween, Teen, Fiction, and Non-Fiction titles that lasts for 13 weeks.  Stop by their page for a new paring of books each week!  A huge shout-out to SYNC sponsors AudioFile Magazine and OverDrive Media Console! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A couple titles I am looking forward to hearing this summer include CRUEL BEAUTY by Rosamund Hodge, Narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden (Harper Audio) and THE HIDING PLACE by Corrie Ten Boom, John Sherrill, Elizabeth Sherrill, Narrated by Bernadette Dunne (christianaudio).  I have read the ebook of Cruel Beauty and am intrigued to hear how it will sound.  I have not read The Hiding Place, but it's been on my to-read list since grade school.  What titles are you looking forward to hearing this summer?

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

OverDrive & For Young Women Only

Are you familiar with OverDrive? They are a digital resource that shares eBooks and Audiobooks. It typically can be found through your local library. With your library card, you have access to an amazing amount a free materials.

Previously, I only used OverDrive for my eReader. It's free, fast, and works with a wide range of devices! Recently, I downloaded the app for my super phone and figured out how to download an audiobook.

Wow! What a smooth way to enjoy an audiobook! I downloaded an available book and listened to the whole thing in two days. (I started with a short title, so it could be enjoyed quickly.) With the fast turnaround, I feel that the world is at my fingertips! I cannot wait to dive in and enjoy more audios via my super phone.

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For Young Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn and Lisa Author Rice

For Young Women Only was created to give young women a glimpse into how males process information, build relationships, and relate to women. The information shared in this brief book was garnered from a nation-wide survey and focus groups. (The survey results can be viewed on the book's website.) Shaunti shares the results and adds tidbits of information from her other book, For Women Only as well as a few Bible passages throughout the text. I appreciated the time they took to research and share their findings. Lots of food for thought! I think this title can be read (or heard) multiple times over and enjoyed each time.

Ms. Feldhahm was the narrator for the book For Young Women Only. I originally heard Shaunti Feldhahn in an interview on the radio several years ago. It was good to hear her voice again as she shared her book. I would enjoy listening to her again.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
For Young Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn and Lisa Author Rice
Read by Shaunti Feldhahn
Produced by Oasis Audio 
Number of Discs: MP3 download (3 parts)
Total Time: 3 hours, 18 minutes
ISBN: 9781608142194

Mandela: An Audio History

Mandela: An Audio History by Desmond Tutu


Mandela: An Audio History is a brief overview of Mandela's freedom fight. For those who are not familiar with Mandela's story this audio is a very brief overview (1 hour, 15 minutes). It highlights moments and events that can whet the appetite and give a glimpse into the history of South Africa. I would recommend this piece to teens, young adults, and adults. It would be a great accompanying piece for a unit study on South Africa, Mandela, or apartheid.

What I enjoyed most about this commemorative edition was the depth of audio achieved in an hour and fifteen minutes. The layers are astounding! In just over an hour, listeners can hear interviews, speeches, radio and television reports, and singing. I can only imagine the length of time editing this CD.

Another interesting side feature was investigating "Radio Diaries" on the back of the CD case. Are there more diaries available? Who do they include? Did HighBridge publish them all? What an amazing find! I would encourage you to check out www.radiodiaries.org. Radio Diaries are "Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary Life" and the creators have collected all sorts of stories that can be heard (for free) online! I cannot wait to explore more Radio Diaries!

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


Audio Book Details...
Mandela: An Audio History by Radio Diaires
Hosted by Desmond Tutu
Produced by HighBridge Audio
Number of Discs: 1
Total Time: 1 hours, 15 minutes
ISBN: 9781622314331 

Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio


Palacio shares a slice of life in the fifth-grader year of August "Auggie" Pullman. He was home schooled until this point and now it was time to attend a "normal" school. It's never easy adjusted to a new school, but Auggie also struggles to fit in because of his facial deformity.

The story begins from August's point of view, but then travels to his sibling and new school friends. The past and present are shared with each chapter and each individual who shares their thoughts and reactions. The story reflects on overcoming obstacles and building relationships. It's a story that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages - elementary, middle, high school, and adult. The various character's make the story come full circle and adds satisfying depths.

Several narrators shared the reading of Wonder including Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, and Diana Steele. With so many characters sharing their narratives, it was an excellent choice to have a variety of readers. I wish it were possible for more narrators. In an ideal world, a different narrator for each character would have been fabulous! I enjoyed the three readers and overall they had distinctive voices for each character.

Reviewed from a library copy.


Audio Book Details...
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Read by Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, and Diana Steele
Produced by Brilliance Audio
Number of Discs: 7
Total Time: 8 hours, 12 minutes
ISBN: 9781455844197 

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

We Hold These Truths

We Hold These Truths by Andrew Clements

We Hold These Truths is the final installment of Benjamin Pratt & and the Keepers of the School. The final days of school are here and it's now or never for the Keepers to find the final safeguards.

I have been waiting to listen to this book! The Keepers needed to find two more safeguards and the end of school is days away when the last book ended. The pressure builds and Ben finds himself in a new role as manager. The Keepers' plans need to be bigger, bolder, and faster. They also need to stay on the right side of the law. I hesitate to say too much about the storyline because I don't want to give any spoilers or potential spoilers. Relationships do become tense between Keepers and between Janitors. The ending was satisfying. Clements wrapped it up nicely and gave a look to the future as well.

For previous Keeper readers, this is an exciting conclusion to the end of the series. For new Keepers, this final title is exciting as well because all the books are available! There is no need to wait! Check them all out at the library and listen to one right after the other. It's a great story for elementary students and families.

Narrator Keith Nobbs finishes the Keepers series. Thank you, Simon & Schuster for completing the series with one narrator! Nobbs performance was still enjoyable. He maintained the character voices and personalities that he began with We the Children in 2010.

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

Audio Book Details...
We Hold These Truths by Andrew Clements
Series: Book 5, Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School
Read by Keith Nobbs
Produced by Simon & Schuster Audio
Number of Discs: 4
Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
ISBN: 9781442357044