Discover the New Releases Audiobooks in Teens, Ages 11-13

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Title: A Fine White Dust

Author: Cynthia Rylant

Narrator: Keith Nobbs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-07-09

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

It's not something Pete's parents can understand. Certainly his best friend, Rufus, an avowed atheist, doesn't understand. But Pete knows he can't imagine life without the Man. So when the Man invites Pete to join him on his mission, how can Pete say no - even if it means leaving behind everything he's ever loved?

Members Reviews:

Amazing piece of work

Rate it a five star

Love it. This book is dramatic and wonderful the best I've read so far and forever more

Four Stars

Fantastic mentor text teachers!

I wouldn't recommend this book -- there are SO MANY much better ones out there

This is a weak and troubling story -- why waste time on it when there is so much better literature out there? As Henry David Thoreau said, "Read the best books first, or you may not get the chance to read them at all." I will make a few suggestions at the end of my review.

As to this story: Pete has distant, un-involved parents, and therein lies the crux of the problem. Pete's parents apparently once got burned by religion (something they will not discuss with him) so they won't attend church with Pete or discuss his ideas about religion (a HUGE parenting mistake). As a result, Pete gets drawn far too obsessively into the idea that nothing matters in life but religion. He is clearly a lonely person in need of real human relationship, and as a parent pre-reading this book for my teen sons, it was painful to read how disconnected Pete was from his parents.

Then a charlatan revival Preacher Man comes to town: Pete immediately gets sucked in by the Preacher Man's charisma, and since Pete's adoration feeds the Preacher Man's ego, the Preacher Man ENCOURAGES Pete to run away from home and leave town with him! Omg! Any adult reading this book is going to immediately believe the Preacher Man is a pedophile, and, again, it is painful to read as Pete makes his preparations to run away. (I was literally groaning to myself as I read.) Pete's religious values are not very deep if he doesn't see any conflict with lying to his parents and leaving home without getting their permission or even telling them!

The most decent thing Preacher Man does is to not show up at the rendezvous point and take Pete with him as promised -- which, of course, devastates Pete. Pete feels the Preacher man betrayed him (this novel is marketed as a story about betrayal) and never seems to realize that he got a lucky break when the Preacher Man stood him up! Indeed, the only possible indication that God is ever really present in this story is the fact that the Preacher Man had a change of heart and didn't actually take Pete with him.

With respect to that idea, the author lost a wonderful teaching moment by not even suggesting that possibly the REAL God/Jesus -- who otherwise appears to be completely absent from the story -- might, in fact, have been in control of the situation all along, waiting quietly to step forward and save the day. Pete is left wondering if "God had a real purpose in allowing the Preacher Man to hurt me so much," but never considers that maybe he should be thanking God that God stepped in to ensure he didn't actually run away or leave with Preacher Man.

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Title: Minna's Quest

Subtitle: Roman Pony Adventures

Author: K. M. Peyton

Narrator: Evelyn McLean

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-04-08

Publisher: Oakhill Publishing Ltd

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

But even Theo cannot imagine the part Minna and her beloved horse will play when Othana is threatened by bloodthirsty pirates. Desperate to save her people, Minna risks all as she set out on a perilous journey over land and wave to fetch help.

Members Reviews:

Smart, Fast Paced Historical Horse Novel

Minna's Quest is a fast paced, exciting novel about life in Britain during the end of the Roman Empire's rule. It's a smart novel aimed at middle school girls. The description of life at the fort and what it was like to be a Roman centurion was well done - blended into the story and it didn't feel like a history lesson. There were several words I had to look up and I feel like I have a pretty good vocabulary.

Minna is a strong and smart heroine. Her love and devotion to Theo, the commander of the fort, is a little ridiculous and over the top but that's my only complaint about the book. I'm also not typically into horse books and almost didn't read it because of that, but I liked this one. There is a lot of devotion between Minna and her horse so horse lovers will be happy.

There are two more books in the series which I plan on reading. The story concluded nicely so I'm not really sure where they will go from here.

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Title: Itch

Author: Michelle Kwasney

Narrator: Angela Rogers

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-27-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

Book Sense Pick author Michelle D. Kwasney delivers this compelling coming-of-age story about a sixth-grade girl who struggles with the swirling effects of change on her family and friendships. It's 1968, and "Itch" Colchester loves everything about her home in rural Florida. But she especially loves Gramps - with his quiet wisdom and loving understanding. That's why it hurts so much when Gram finds him dead one morning. It also hurts to leave the piney woods of Beaver Creek for a double-wide trailer in Cousin Effie's small town Ohio.

©2008 Michelle D. Kwasney (P)2008 Recorded Books

Critic Reviews:

"Kwasney's characters are...fully fleshed and memorable." (

Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Fantastic

I gave this book five stars because for one thing it is one of the best books I've ever read ( and I've read more books than I can count ).Itch will move you and affect you in many ways like it has done for me. I recommend this book for EVERYONE who loves to read books that make you think (or who love a good read)

Sweet story about a young girl and how she deals ...

Sweet story about a young girl and how she deals with having to start a new life in a new area after losing her beloved grandpa. She meets another friend who she finds is hiding a dark secret in her life.

Ahhhhh! Plot, characters, writing...all good.

Can it really be that I'm the first to review this?

A book about child abuse/objectification of children with believable characters and understandable, if icky, motives. The characters do what they have to do, so when the grandma moves to help, it's in an ill-thought out way that nonetheless is plausible for that person. Only the dad character was a little thin, but still worked.

There were certain dialogues I found unlikely--that were then revealed to be exactly right in the next few pages.

Oh, it's not all sorrow and tension. The author writes about girls being girls and a believable school/afterschool life. Her voice gives even mundane situations meaning.

I believe the author truly cares about kids in abusive situations and understands them well, and that this book may give certain people the strength to give appropriate help.

Love this book

Love this book, it touches on serious subjects but is not light on humor! I laughed and laughed at Itch and her grandmother! A great read for adults as well!

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Title: Defining Dulcie

Author: Paul Acampora

Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-12-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

When her mother moves the family to California, Dulcie decides to drive her father's pick-up truck back to Connecticut on her own.

Critic Reviews:

"An affecting, engaging family story, uniquely told." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Great read!

I got this book because I had heard the first sentence, and had to know what the rest of the book was. This book got into my head, and I thought about it off and on for a few days after reading it. It is now passing through my class like wildfire, and each of my kids who has gotten it, has loved it. The main character, Dulcie, is going through hard times and has suffered some loss, but she is a strong minded character and gets through it, helping others along the way. Well written, realistic characters.

Meh

Wasn't too interested in the book but that doesn't mean you wouldn't be...everyone has their own tastes! Thought it would be a good book for my 11 year old, but not interested.

Defining Dulcie

A wonderful story and very popular with my students. Our class book group plans on reading this book next month.

Raves for Defining Dulcie

Working in a high school library affords me the enviable privilege of "checking out" those volumes that attract my interest. Some of them, quite a few, in fact, find themselves reshelved after I've read only a few pages or a couple of chapters. Defining Dulcie by Paul Campora was NOT one of those.

It is a story of a teenage girl and her mother who are forced to come to terms with the accidental and tragic death of their father/husband. Each of the family members deals with his/her loss in different ways, and that's where the rub comes in.

Defining Dulcie is written with intelligence, wit, and heart and describes a family, torn by grief, but held together by strong bonds of love, respect and a sense of honor and humor.

The language is clean, the dialogue sparse, but sparkling. Defining Dulcie was written with sensitivity and insight, and I can recommend it without reservation.

Sad novel that offers a feeling of hope for the future

Dulcie's father, a janitor, just died. Her mother decides to move her and Dulcie cross country to California from Connecticut. As soon as Dulcie steps foot in CA, she knows that's not where she belongs. She steals her mother's truck and makes her way back to Newbury, to her grandfather and her home. Dulcie's grandfather, Frank, lets her come back and work for him, without pay, as punishment for worrying her mother when she left. Frank has already hired another helper, Roxanne. Soon, Roxanne and Dulcie become friends. When Dulcie and Frank discover the truth about Roxanne's relationship with her abusive mother, they have to figure out a way to help her.

When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be a sad story about death and moving on. It was sad, but the novel also had a feeling of hope and looking towards the future. Aside from death, Defining Dulcie also dealt with serious issues like abuse. This book was pretty good, especially for a debut novel. I'll be looking forward to reading more books by the author.

Reviewed by Flamingnet Book Reviews

[...]

Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations.

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Title: Summer's End

Author: Audrey Couloumbis

Narrator: Eve Bianco

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-31-08

Publisher: Penguin Group USA and Audible

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

The summer Grace turns 13 is when everything changes. The Vietnam War is raging, and Grace's brother, Collin, is drafted. But Collin decides to take a stand and burn his draft card, igniting a war within the family. Grace suddenly finds herself bewildered and angry, thrust into a turbulent political climate. The war is everywhere, and Grace quickly learns that she cannot escape it, no matter how hard she tries.

©2005 Audrey Couloumbis; (P)2008 Penguin

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Title: Part of Me

Author: Kimberly Willis Holt

Narrator: Kate Reading

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-18-06

Publisher: Listening Library

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

The journey begins in 1939 with Rose, who moves with her mother and siblings from rural Texas to live with their estranged grandfather in the Louisiana bayou. Rose connects with this flavorful community through her love of books and by driving a bookmobile.

Two decades later, Merle Henry, Rose's son, is more passionate about trapping a mink than about reading, although there is a place in his heart for Old Yeller. In 1973, Merle Henry's daughter, Annabeth, feels torn between reading fairy tales and a crush on a real-life knight in shining armor. And in the present day, Annabeth's son, Kyle, finds himself in a bind: he hates reading, but the only summer job he can get is at the library.

Critic Reviews:

"Holt once again excels at creating character and an evocative sense of place." (School Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

Great

I can relate

Family secrets and unresolved family dynamics come to the forefront when an abandoned mother of 3 children must move back home with a colorful rascal of a dad . Mom has to take whatever job she can find. Oldest daughter is forced to give up her dreams to help support the family. The story focus is the passing of years and the clinging to of a young life dream. Life takes many twists and turns and a dream can come true, even if it a long time coming.

Realizing the value of family

Kimberly Willis Holt has the wonderful talent of weaving a story of growing up poor but embracing the value of family roots. You laugh out loud, cry at times and cherished the poignant parts. Love ed this book!

Four Stars

Loved reading about early southern Louisiana. Took me back to my childhood memories and growing up.

Part of Me: Stories of a Louisiana Family by Kimberly Willis Holt

I have loved other books written by Holt, but this one was a little to pat and predictable. I'm not sorry that I read it, though. It has its moments.

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Title: The Dream Bearer

Author: Walter Dean Myers

Narrator: Peter Francis James

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-02-05

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

But then David meets Mr. Moses, an elderly man who tells him that dreams are the key to understanding reality. And with Mr. Moses' gift of dreams, David begins to see the world through his father's eyes.

Printz Award-winner Walter Dean Myers weaves a richly layered tale of a boy's journey of self-discovery and the acceptance and compassion he learns along the way.

Members Reviews:

This is a great addition to my Walter Dean Myers set

This is a great addition to my Walter Dean Myers set. My students loved it. It arrived on time as well in the perfect package.

Five Stars

Awesome book!

Dream Keeper

There are some problems for a kid growing up in New York, especially for David! The Dream Bearer has received many reviews including ALA booklist and School Library Journal. The author, Walter Dean Myers has written many other books such as, Bad Boy: a Memoir, Handbook for Boys, and Patrol. He also won the 1994 ALA Margaret A. Edwards award and the 1994 ALAN award. The Dream Bearer is a book about a kid growing up in New York. The Dream Bearer is a meaningful book by an award winning author.

David lives with his mom, dad, and brother in an apartment in New York. His brother, Ty is leaving and coming home late. When the police come, David suspects he's doing drugs. When David and his best friend Loren go to the park, they meet an old man named Mr. Moses who claims he's a dream bearer. David's father, Reuben, who most people think is crazy, is angry when he hears about Mr. Moses. Then, Mr. Moses gets sick so David and Loren save him, but soon after, someone else needs saving.

The Dream Bearer has characters that are so believable. I liked that David was accepted to a private school because he's smart and he beat two other people with Loren in 2 on 2 because he's good at sports. It proves that you can be good at more than one thing. I also liked that David didn't think his dad was crazy when others do, it proves he's believing. David's mom is also very caring and nice. The characters in this book are terrific.

I also liked the setting of this book because it was so real and imaginable. The author describes how the Hudson River was dirty and gross. He also described that the city had old, run down buildings. I could really picture that! I could also tell it was real because he uses street names to describe where they are. I also liked how he described the park. I could really picture the setting.

I think The Dream Bearer is a good book because of the characters and setting. The author uses detail on the characters and setting so I can picture it. I would recommend this book to someone who wants a book that's not that funny or suspenseful, but still keeps your attention. This book has a very interesting cover and description that just screams "READ ME!" It is a little slow in the beginning, but gets better. This realistic fiction book's message is that you shouldn't judge people because they can be someone you'd never expect if you look hard enough, even in their dreams!

Reviewing The Dream Bearer

The Dream Bearer was my first exposure to Walter Dean Meyers, and I will continue to read his work. In this novel, the main character, David, is the heart of his family. His older brother becomes involved with drugs, his father battles a mental illness, and his mother is scared for everyone.

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Title: Ennara and the Book of Shadows

Subtitle: Ennara, Book 2

Author: Angela Myron

Narrator: Tia Sorensen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-21-16

Publisher: Stardance Media

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

When strange accidents start happening around 13-year-old necromancer Ennara and her friends, she must search for the mysterious stolen artifacts causing the attacks while learning the highest form of magic - the spells that could prevent the fruition of a terrible prophecy.

Members Reviews:

Four Stars

Good book

A Solid Sequel, But A Bit "Magicky"

In the first book in this series we met our heroine, Ennara, and her band of friends, and set off on an interesting, suspenseful, and very well imagined quest. Ennara is marked as a "special" magical eleven year old with a mysterious but ambiguously prophesied destiny. The book was well paced and full of action and adventure. In this second book Ennara, now thirteen, is a student at the Druidic Academy, studying various forms of magic. But, Ennara commands dark magic, not the light, and her presence at the Academy unnerves and frightens some. She meets resistance from some teachers and students, and her place in the magical world remains uncertain.

As a consequence of this setup we get a fair amount of Druid politics, and early on we get some mean girl and Professor Snape-type scenes that feel a bit undercooked. Not to worry, though, because once Ennara is reunited with the full crew from the first book, and once suspicious accidents start dogging Ennara, (a killer turtle, zombie flowers), the book gets back up to speed. Shortly thereafter magical artifacts disappear, the Dark begins rising again, and the game is afoot.

As before, all of the heroes have their roles to play. Everyone, including some especially fun supporting characters, gets some page time. And, we even have a slight touch of romance to add a little sizzle to the tale. We do, also, get a lot of magic, including some very advanced magic. This is not one of those books where everyone just waves around wands and mumbles. Different magics do different things, the magic has to be done right, Ennara is still learning, objects have odd properties, and so on. As a consequence, while this is a fine book for fantasy/quest readers, it does have a bit of a learning curve and takes magic and the world's magic system seriously. For readers who like their magic served with a bit of detail and rigor this is a plus.

As before, the book wraps up with a satisfying ending that leaves the door open for more. It's not a cliffhanger, just a cliff suggester, so there might be a third, and if not there is enough closure here to not leave a reader wondering. I always think that's a nice way to handle a series like this.

So, it was good to follow Ennara and her friends again. Fans of the first book should not be disappointed. Newcomers could start here; there's enough recapitulating to get them into the flow without having read Book One. Again, a nice touch, and a very solid read overall.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

things are not looking good. Ennara feels disconnected to her professors

We return to the story of Ennara a year later in the second book written by Angela Myron. Ennara is now away from home and is studying at the Academy of Magic. However, things are not looking good. Ennara feels disconnected to her professors. Her ear burns at times and people treat her with a cold indifference.

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Title: The Queen of Doorways

Subtitle: The Doorways Saga 3

Author: Tim O'Rourke

Narrator: Fred Wolinsky

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-17-15

Publisher: Ravenwoodgreys

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

Trapped by the Delf and her legion of dead-peacekeepers, Zach Black and his friends realize that one of them is a traitor...but who? With the vampire, Neanna Cera, suddenly missing, suspicion soon falls on her.

With a werewolf and mechanical man at his side, Zach Black, must put his trust in two strangers to help him escape. But one of these strangers carries a device that can open more than mere doorways and is the biggest threat to Endra and Earth, should it fall into Throat's hands.

With the Queen of Endra now awake and slowly regaining her powers, it falls to two werewolves, Wally and Willow, to get her safely to the Snowstorm Mountains. But with Endra overrun with entangled creatures that Der Cribbot brought from the world beyond the doorways, will Zach Black need to destroy them or save them to decide the fate of two worlds?

The Queen of Doorways book three in the number-one best-selling Doorways Saga series.

World Beyond the Doorways, book four, coming soon!

Members Reviews:

all some

I read all 3 books twice . I live the fact that the narrator did all the voices for each character . When is the 4th coming.

All some !!!!!

This was my 1st audio book

well spoken, I was a sceptic when kg came to audio books, but this has won me over. Tim O'Rourke is my favourite Author, he doesn't take long to whip up a mind blowing and captivating storyline.

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Title: Close Your Pretty Eyes

Author: Sally Nicholls

Narrator: Emilia Fox

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-05-13

Publisher: Scholastic UK Ltd

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

Eleven-year-old Olivia Brown has been in care since she was five. She has just been asked to leave her eighteenth placement.

Her new home is a secluded farmhouse, centuries old, where she slowly bonds with her foster family. But the house holds dark secrets. The danger is real - but does it come from the twisted mind of a very disturbed child?

Members Reviews:

Shouty

Not very enjoyable read. Was interesting perspective of young girl moving round various foster homes but I think this might have worked better as a book.

I loved it!

If you could sum up Close Your Pretty Eyes in three words, what would they be?

Hard-hitting, heart-jerking, brilliant

What did you like best about this story?

Olivia makes me want to help kids like her

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Yes! The whole time we are getting to know Olivia we are trying to decide if we are going to trust her or not, and somewhere in the fighting and fear you realise that you love her whether or not she does turn out to be the anti-hero

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Nothing! The narrator was wonderful!

Any additional comments?

Buy it. Listen. You're welcome!