illustration by Pat Marriott, from The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Joan Aiken’s daughter Lizza is hosting an evening in New York to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. You should go.

The anniversary has also prompted a new audio edition of the novel (Listening Library) about which Martha says:

“I’ve just started listening to it, narrated by Joan Aiken’s daughter Lizza, and it’s superb. The combination of the author’s masterful storytelling and the narrator’s assured and intimate reading is mesmerizing.  I hope Lizza goes on to read the whole Wolves sequence – it’s wonderful to be subsumed into that world again! I just want to drop everything and listen. (Maybe I could have the day off?) As an added bonus, Lizza introduces the audiobook with a brief story about how her mother came to write the book—a huge treat for Aiken fans.”

You should listen.

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So when the audiobook of Maureen Johnson’s The Name of the Star (Brilliance Audio, 2011) arrived in the office, I squeed (or rather I would have squeed if I were a squeeing kind of person, or if I even used the word squee). The Name of the Star was a book I read and loved and gave to teens and talked up all last year.  If you haven’t read it, it’s an inventive, original, constantly surprising novel in which the narrator, 17-year-old Rory, arrives from Louisiana to attend boarding school in London, where someone is re-creating the Jack the Ripper murders, and only she is able to see the killer. It’s got suspense, humor, paranormal appeal, depth of characterization, and romance. (Bucking the tired but apparently inexhaustible paranormal trend, the object of Rory’s affections here is not the ghost but a fellow, human student. Thank you, Ms. Johnson.)

As a bona fide addict, I know that there are a few possible scenarios when listening to a book I’ve loved in print. One, the production will be so superior that it will surpass the print version: the narrator is so skilled, or so perfectly matched to the material, that I will forevermore associate that voice with that book. Two, the production will be competent enough that it neither enhances nor detracts from the print book. Three—and I really hate it when this happens—the production of a terrific book will be flawed, to the degree that I have to stop listening lest it ruin the print version for me.

Here’s the fatal flaw in the Brilliance Audio version of Name of the Star: narrator Nicola Barber gives Rory a straightforward, uninflected accent when she’s reading Rory’s first-person narration, but she gives Rory a heavy Southern drawl whenever Rory has actual dialogue. In both cases it’s supposed to be Rory talking, but she has two very different voices.

How does this happen? Does the narrator make this decision spontaneously? Does the producer or director decide? Is there a chain of command where people sign off on such a ludicrous idea? If so, how would they justify it? “Rory’s from Louisiana, so she has to have a Southern accent, but we can’t have her narrating the whole book that way, so we’ll just have her drawl in the dialogue”? I don’t know. I do know that I just hate it when I’m recommending a terrific book to a parent or a child, and I have to actively warn them away from the audiobook version.  This is not something that sits well with an addict such as myself. It feels like a betrayal. But it feels like an equal betrayal on the part of the audiobook producers to release such a misguided production of such a good book.

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In Patrick Ness’s haunting tale of pain and redemption, A Monster Calls, thirteen-year-old Conor O’Malley faces the death of his mother from cancer. Reader Jason Isaacs effortlessly shifts from Conor, his peers, and the adults in his life to the sonorous Monster, whose midnight visits compel Conor to confront his feelings. An author interview plus a bonus disc featuring illustrations from the book and accompanying audio excerpts are included. (12 years and up)

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt follows Doug Swieteck (from The Wednesday Wars) and his family to boring old Marysville, New York, in 1968. With the help of some new friends, Doug’s rough-and-tumble life begins to turn around after he discovers his artistic side, courtesy of a collection of John Audubon bird prints. In this 2012 Odyssey Award honor book, narrator Lincoln Hoppe effectively channels Doug’s ready-to-fight persona along with his more unguarded moments. (12 years and up)

Travis Roberts and Vida “Velveeta” Wojciehowski, two lonely eighth graders, gradually form a friendship in Pat Schmatz’s Bluefish. Luke Daniels performs the text, and his voicing of each character is admirably distinct. Reticent protagonist Travis speaks slowly and quietly; sassy Velveeta is intensely vulnerable. At the end of each chapter, Kate Rudd endearingly performs Velveeta’s letters. This audio edition ably interprets the protagonists’ quiet but profound evolution. (12 years and up)

Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races tells of the titular contest featuring man-eating fairy water horses. A girl has signed on to race for the first time, and she catches the attention of four-time winner Sean Kendrick. Chapters trade off between Kate “Puck” Connolly and Sean, with Steve West and Fiona Hardingham reading their respective first-person narratives. West employs a measured voice for the reserved Sean; Hardingham does a good job of conveying Puck’s fiery and introspective character. Listeners to this 2012 Odyssey Award honor book will be swept along for the entire ride. (13–16 years)

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May I proselytize for a moment? If you’re reading this post, you absolutely must listen to the audiobook version of Beauty Queens (Scholastic Audio, 2011) written and read brilliantly by Libba Bray. Believe me, it will make your life worth living, your hair luxurious, and your skin blemish-free. It will also help get you out of bed in the morning, eager to spend a few blissful minutes in the car, listening to the book on your way to work. (That might just be me.)

Libba’s Grammy Award–worthy audio performance sparkles with the blinding light of a million sequined gowns. If you don’t know the premise, read what Christine Heppermann had to say in her Horn Book review of the book  last May, then come back here and—”Yoo-hoo! Over here! I’m wigglin’ my fingers for y’all’s attention!… Y’all come on down and gather round, horseshoe formation—thank you.”

In addition to snorting with unladylike laughter at the crazy plot turns, at Libba’s lovingly caricatured voices for the many over-the-top characters, and at the chirpy footnotes and sanitized messages from pageant sponsor The Corporation, other side effects may include a compulsion to speak like Taylor Rene Krystal Hawkins, Miss Teen Dream Texas, “the state where dreams are bigger and better—nothing against y’all’s states”; unwelcome fantasies featuring a bewigged, platform-shoe-wearing dictator; and a desire to be free of unwanted body hair.

You can thank me after you’ve exfoliated.

(Oh, and here’s Libba to tell you about the book in her own words!)

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The Grammy Awards may have  “tuned out” children’s audiobooks this year

Need a great gift for a bookworm? Traveling for the holidays? See our updated audiobook list, offering listening suggestions for a wide range of ages.

The post New audiobook recommendations appeared first on The Horn Book.

YOUNGER FICTION
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

The Alvin Ho Collection: Books 1 & 2 by Lenore Look; read by Everette Plen (Listening Library)
Second-grader Alvin faces (some of) his fears: school, girls, and camping. Eleven-year-old Plen ably reflects the youth and energy so evident in Alvin’s descriptions of his anxieties. Grade level: 1–3.

Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypacker; read by Jessica Almasy (Recorded Books)
Clementine’s plans to bribe her classmates into saying nice things about her as “Friend of the Week” go awry. Almasy’s just-over-the-top narration embodies the vivacious third grader. Grade level: 1–3.

INTERMEDIATE FICTION
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt; read by Gabra Zackman (Simon Audio)
This haunting story of one dog’s and two kittens’ journey toward freedom is a unique creation of repetition, rhythm, and sustained foreboding. Zackman’s narration is appropriately melodious. Grade level: 4–6.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones; read by Jenny Sterlin (Recorded Books)
Spoiled bookworm Charmain begins the adventure of her life when she is enlisted to house-sit for ailing Great-Uncle William —who also happens to be the powerful Wizard Norland. Sterlin narrates as if the novel were a scrumptious high tea, enjoying every bite. Grade level: 5 and up.

Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls; read by Charlotte Parry (Recorded Books)
Eleven-year-old Sam has enough goals for a lifetime, but because he has leukemia, he knows he only has a short time to accomplish them all. Parry reads Sam’s story with compassion and humor. Grade level: 5 and up.

Nation by Terry Pratchett; read by Stephen Briggs (Harper Children’s Audio)
Two divergent young people—Mau, an island boy; and Daphne, the unknowing heir to the British throne—are thrown together as the result of a devastating tsunami. Briggs’s narration, meshing his style with Prachett’s, is well suited to the tale. Grade level: 5 and up.

The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan; read by Tony Chiroldes (Scholastic Audio)
In childhood, Nefatlí Reyes (a.k.a. Pablo Neruda) hears the call of words, and even his cruel father cannot stifle the growing poet. Chiroldes’s lilting voice is perfect for this lyrical novel. Grade level: 4–6.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead; read by Cynthia Holloway (Listening Library)
Narrator Holloway does an excellent job of inhabiting main character Miranda, a Wrinkle in Time–loving New York sixth grader who discovers a series of anonymous notes that seem to be a matter of life, death, and, incredibly, time travel. Grade level: 5 and up.

The Emerald Atlas [Books of Beginning] by John Stephens; read by Jim Dale (Listening Library)
This first book in a series introduces three orphans, Kate, Michael, and Emma, and their involvement in an epic battle between good and evil magic. Dale’s performance of the voices of the large cast of characters is thoroughly engaging. Grade level: 6–8.

The Ring of Solomon: A Bartimaeus Novel by Jonathan Stroud; read by Simon Jones (Listening Library)
In 950 BCE Jerusalem, djinni Bartimaeus finds himself the unlikely ally of a young girl who intends, suicidally, to steal the magic ring of Solomon. Jones gives a riveting, hilarious portrayal of the wisecracking Bartimaeus, Grade level: 5 and up.

Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool; read by Jenna Lamia with Cassandra Campbell and Kirby Heyborne (Listening Library)
Stuck in the small town of Manifest for the summer of 1936, Abilene’s searches for clues to her father’s past but finds her own future. In contrast to the many secrets Abilene discovers, she’s an endearingly transparent character; Lamia channels her to perfection. Grade level: 4–6.

Young Fredle by Cynthia Voigt; read by Wendy Carter (Listening Library)
Fredle (a curious young house mouse) ends up Outside, where he learns to embrace life’s larger possibilities—independence, friendships, a love of beauty and nature. Carter’s superb narration of this fresh coming-of-age novel multiplies its considerable virtues. Grade level: 3–6.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia; read by Sisi Aisha Johnson (Recorded Books) 
During one life-changing summer in 1968 Oakland, California, three sisters come to know their estranged mother and become involved in street-level politics. Johnson captures protagonist Delphine’s strength and vulnerability Grade level: 4–6.

Countdown by Deborah Wiles; read by Emma Galvin (Listening Library)
In this documentary novel, Air Force brat Franny juggles friendships, crushes, and family loyalty during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Galvin voices the many characters convincingly; sound effects nicely underscore the era and enhance listeners’ “this just in!” experience. Grade level: 6–8.

The Mysterious Howling [Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place] by Maryrose Wood; read by Katherine Kellgren (Listening Library)
Kellgren’s spot-on voicing of this howlingly funny romp recounts the adventures of plucky fifteen-year-old governess Penelope and her young charges: three children raised by wolves. Grade level: 5 and up.

OLDER FICTION
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares; read by Kimberly Farr (Listening Library)
The summer after eighth grade is a formative one for three best friends who have grown apart over the years. Farr narrates with control, compassion, and just enough youthful intensity. Grade level: 6–8.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore; read by David Baker and a full cast (Full Cast Audio)
In the Seven Kingdoms, an exceptional few are burdened with gifts that brand them Gracelings. This lush world makes the perfect backdrop for the complex interplay of a full cast of voices, each ideally suited to their roles. Grade level: 7 and up.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman; read by the author (Recorded Books)
When a baby escapes murder by toddling into a graveyard, he is adopted by two ghosts. This coming-of-age novel follows Bod’s encounters with witches, ghouls, and vampires. Gaiman-as-narrator brings his characters to life with wit and meticulous pacing. Grade level: 7 and up.

The Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty; read by Bianca Amato, Toby Leonard Moore, Colin McPhillamy, Anushka Carter Paris, Andy Paris, and Charlotte Parry (Recorded Books)
Characters from The Year of Secret Assignments return in a novel melding mystery, ghost story, school story, and Australian history. This complex, clever story is even better as an audiobook. Grade level: 8 and up.

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson; read by Julia Whelan (Brilliance Audio)
Lennie is utterly bereft when her sister Bailey dies suddenly but gradually realizes she is sleepwalking through her own life. After some tortuous detours, true love wakes her up. Whelan delivers a flawless performance. Grade level: 8 and up.

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve; read by the author (Scholastic Audio)
Fever Crumb, an orphaned girl raised by a sect of Engineers in steampunk England, begins to remember a life not her own. Reeve’s narration highlights his wordplay, humor, and nuanced description. Grade level: 7 and up.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork; read by Lincoln Hoppe (Listening Library)
Hoppe authentically narrates the experiences of Marcelo, a seventeen-year-old with an Asperger-like condition, in the “real world”—a summer job at his father’s law firm—with dramatic intensity. Grade level: 8 and up.

The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp; read by MacLeod Andrews (Brilliance Audio)
Hard-partying senior Sutter doesn’t waste time worrying about his future. Sutter’s philosophical musings (delivered with a devil-may-care twang) build to an honest conclusion. Grade level: 8 and up.

NONFICTION
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano by Margarita Engle; read by Yesenia Cabrero, Chris Nuñez, Ozzie Rodriguez, and Roberto Santana (Listening Library)
Inspired by the life of poet Manzano, these free verse poems portray a talented artist who grew up in slavery, sustaining himself with his love for words and his hope for freedom. As remarkable to hear as it is to read. Grade level: 6–8.

Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman; read by Rosalyn Landor (Listening Library)
This biography of Darwin concentrates on his marriage and its effect on his work and religious beliefs (or lack thereof). Landor reads this work of nonfiction as though it were a novel, with individual voices for all parties and plenty of warmth. Grade level: 6 and up.

Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka; read by Jon Scieszka (Brilliance Audio)
In this laugh-out-loud audio of the beloved author’s memoir, Scieszka hits punch lines like a stand-up comedian while authentically recalling the voice and emotions of his younger self. Grade level: 5–7.

The post Recommended Audiobooks appeared first on The Horn Book.

In Geraldine McCaughrean’s Glorious Adventures of the Sunshine Queen, when a diphtheria epidemic hits 1890s Olive Town, Oklahoma, twelve-year-old Cissy and her friends are sent away to stay with their former, beloved teacher, now an actress in a traveling theater troupe housed in a dilapidated steamboat. As the company travels down the flooded Missouri River, adventures ensue — and keep on ensuing — in a book that’s both a paean to Mark Twain and entirely original. Narrator Lorna Raver is a fluid and accomplished reader, more than a match for the story’s tall-tale tone, fast pace, and large cast of colorful characters. (9–12 years)

Lucky for Good, the last installment in Susan Patron’s Hard Pan trilogy, takes Lucky to the brink of junior high. As ever, she is both a highly particularized character (how many eleven-year-olds live in welded-together trailers in the California desert with French chef mothers who adopted them at the request of ex-husbands?) and a universal Everygirl (she loses her temper when a show-off older boy tries to bully her; she struggles with large questions of life and death, religion and science). Narrator Cassandra Campbell brings us inside Lucky’s heart and head, letting all the novel’s humor, depth of feeling, and thoughtfulness shine through. (9–12 years)

Next up is an excellent audiobook production of Clare Vanderpool’s multi-layered 2011 Newbery Medal winner, Moon over Manifest. Parked for the summer of 1936 in the small town of Manifest, Kansas, twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker goes looking for clues to her father’s past and ends up finding her own future. In contrast to the many secrets and mysteries Abilene discovers — some revolving around letters she finds from 1918, others centered on present-day Manifest — she herself is an endearingly transparent character, and narrator Jenna Lamia channels her to perfection. (9–12 years)

The narrator of the Harry Potter audiobooks reads another novel full of wizardry, brave orphans, evil villains, and hair-raising adventure. John Stephens’s The Emerald Atlas is set in America, though, and once the listener gets over the shock of hearing the distinctively British Jim Dale say “Baltimore” or “Albany,” they will be entranced by his animated presentation and amazing ability to inhabit and differentiate a huge cast of characters. Listeners will cheer Kate, Michael, and Emma on as they discover a magical book, travel through time to try to rescue the children of Cambridge Falls from a witch, and investigate the secrets surrounding their parentage. (10–14 years)

From Notes from the Horn Book, November 2011

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If you have a couple of days to sink into an audiobook during these holidays I can’t say enough to recommend Kate Burton’s unabridged reading of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Here’s someone who knows how to sound like a child without getting all juvenile about it. She uses not voices but inflections to convey when each character is speaking–at one point Francie’s brother is mimicking their mother and Burton gets the doubled effect just right.  What a book, too–I think I last read it when I was twelve and I’m stunned at both what I remembered and what I forgot.

Merry Christmas, everyone. I was not a good do-bee and got all my reviews done before my vacation so I guess I’ll be doing some of that (and, yes, Elissa, reading Guide pages) but I hope to get in a few books, several good meals, and some good running when we are in Ptown next week. Hope your week is terrific as well.

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