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Title: Strawberry Hill

Author: Mary Ann Hoberman

Narrator: Cassandra Morris

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-05-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Mary Ann Hoberman has won the National Book Award for her sparkling poetry. Her debut novel,

Strawberry Hill, stars 10-year-old Allie, a young Jewish girl living with her family during the Great Depression. Everyone is excited because dad has found a home to rent and the street sounds like a place filled with fun and adventure - Strawberry Hill. But Allie soon finds many challenges in her new home and works hard to overcome them.

©2009 Mary Ann Hoberman (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

Lovely, gentle, old-fashioned

I disagree that anti-Semitism is the main conflict in this book. This book is about girl friendships -- anti-Semitism really only comes up as one of many conflicts.

I love this book for its complex characters who are written simply -- there are no caricatures here, and nothing manic. It's a sweet, gentle book that brought me back to my own childhood and to "simpler times". What a perfect book for a grandma to read to her granddaughter!

Five Stars

My 10 year old says this is her favorite book!

Wonderful book

I ordered this chapter book for my granddaughter who is 7 in First Grade and is reading at the fourth grade level. I recommend this book for first and second grade level readers. Great story and good moral.

Family favorite

Very nice, classic story. I enjoyed it, my daughter (9 yrs) adored it. She just read it again for the second time.

STRAWBERRY HILL feels very much like a first chapter book

Strawberry Hill in Stamford, Connecticut, turns out to be nothing like what 10-year-old Allie originally thought it would be. For starters, there are no strawberry plants as far as the eye can see dotting the suburban landscape. The Willie Wonka world she imagined her new home to be turns out to look an awful lot like any other one --- with some added features for which she is completely unprepared.

Anti-Semitism is the main conflict in Mary Ann Hoberman's STRAWBERRY HILL, and it brings together and breaks apart a number of fourth grade friendships. With an emphasis on the "can't we all just get along" genre, Allie's adventures in suburbanland are not without some serious pitfalls. Among them, of course, are rocky friendships --- the young Jewish girl across the street with whom Allie feels a great connection but who is shunned by prejudiced families in the area; the next-door playmate who seems to be caught between the innocence of their nine-year-old lives and the strange and strained considerations of the adults with whom she is surrounded; her little brother, so full of wonder and yet so astute about the relationships that are forming amongst the kids; the bookie dad who's been thrown in jail; and the hobo who wanders into their new yard looking for food and friendship. Conducting this orchestra of Depression-era confusion is Allie's mom, who stands up to racism and injustice and teaches all the children a lesson about compassion, true kindness and friendship.

Hoberman, an award-winning poet who is responsible for the You Read to Me books that help fledgling readers begin to read on their own, adopts a very simple and direct language, and keeps the racist undertones right at the top layer of the story so that everyone knows exactly what is going on. That kind of fierce and uncompromising look at racism and how it affects people so deeply makes STRAWBERRY HILL more than what it looks like it will be from the first easy chapters.

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Title: Surf Mules

Author: G. Neri

Narrator: John Allen Nelson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-09-09

Publisher: Listening Library

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

So when small-time dealer, Broza, offers Logan and his dropout pal, Z-boy, a summer job that could make them rich, it seems his problems might be solved. But between Z-boy's constant screwups, a band of Nazi surfers out for blood, and a mysterious stranger on their tail, Logan is starting to have some serious doubts about hauling contraband across country, and hopes just to make it home alive.

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

easy to read and fun to follow.

Totally Awesome, dude!

After having read and enjoyed Chess Rumble, I was looking forward to reading Neri's latest book, Surf Mules. This book was his first endeavor as a YA author. In this book, Neri brings us into the world of three close friends. Fin dies in an opening surf scene. Z-boy isn't very book smart, but he can come through when you need him and he's as loyal as a puppy. Logan has actually managed to graduate high school and is planning to go to college, but the family's savings have been lost by his father's gambling. Logan is trying to transition to manhood, but dad has not left much of a positive impact on his son. Logan has few resources to draw on to make a decision: few values, no identified path to success and no reason to believe that a half-baked plan might work. Fin's father, Buddy, has been somewhat of a male presence for the boys, but doesn't his name say it all? He and his surfer friends have lived by the surfer code, surfing most of their lives away. Drugs, specifically marijuana, are easily accepted into this life and Logan and Z-boy are soon offered the opportunity to make a lot of money carrying marijuana across country. Logan knows the real decision whether to act as mules rests with him. He has a wisdom that Z-boy by does not. For Z-boy its all about a quick buck but for Logan, it could get him money for college or it could get him a felony charge that would ruin almost any career before it begins. Where can you go guidance? When you're a young man really trying to do something different from those around you, how can you find someone you can trust to guide you in a way that benefits your own interest? Logan has one of the roughest coming of age tales I've ha d told in quite a while.

I haven't been much into surfing since Gidget movies, but I found Neri's surf scenes to be clearly written, exciting and quick paced. I was guided into the surfing world by a capable dude who didn't lose me with tedious details but who didn't talk down to the majority of readers who don't know surfing. While we think of surfers as macho men who treat their boards with more respect than their women, Neri creates Emmie, a love interest for Logan that he truly respects and they're able to communicate as equals. This is Logan's story with Emmie having a minor role, but she is intelligent, confident and athletic. While Neri's character seems to accept marijuana as a natural substance that can't harm us, there is a powerful message about who is involved in the drug trade, who profits from it and who gets hurt.

There's much to like about this book, from the humor and the well developed characters to the originality of the story and the complex themes which could lead to deep discussion.

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Title: Names Will Never Hurt Me

Author: Jaime Adoff

Narrator: Jessica Almasy, Quincy Tyler Bernstein, Danny Gerard, Bryan Kennedy, Therese Plummer, Christian Rummel, Nick Sullivan, Joshua Swanson, Tom Waylan, Megan Williams

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-29-09

Publisher: Penguin Group USA and Audible

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

The voices of these four teens weave together in prose-poetry to create a powerful read.

Members Reviews:

Names Will Never hurt Me

Names Will Never Hurt Me, is a book written in several points of views of 4 different teens. Thought their lives seemed to be totally separate from each other,e they were all brought together by a single event in the most unexpected way.

I can relate to the characters in this book especially Teasia because I'm a teen around her age and I have experienced some of the same things that she had such as being left out of activities. This book really expressed what a teenager goes through and I really like it because of that.

I think teens from 13 to 16 should definitely have a go at this book because I'm sure you could all relate to it even if you're passed the teen age.

Not appropriate for young adults

This book is definitely not appropriate for any young adult. The language and sexual references are inappropriate. If it was written better it would be appropriate as an adult book. I would not recommend this to anyone, though.

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Title: Flood and Fang

Subtitle: The Raven Mysteries, Book 1

Author: Marcus Sedgwick

Narrator: Martin Jarvis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-16-09

Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

As self-appointed Guardian of Otherhand Castle, Edgar's alarmed when a nasty looking black tail slinks off under the rhubarb plants, kitchen maids go missing and the castle begins to flood.

There's never a dull moment for the strange Otherhand family; Lord Valevine, Minty his wife, 10-year-old Cudweed; his pet, Fellah (the sticky monkey); and his big sister, black-haired, gothic-ly gorgeous Solstice, as they come face to face with the owner of the black tail.

Members Reviews:

I want all 6

I have the first three books in this series and have listened over and over. I adore Edgar ! ! !

I keep hoping the next three in the series will be out in audio. Clever premise and Martin Jarvis is the perfect narrator.

Genius

This is a genius pairing of book and actor - Martin Jarvis brings all the characters to life but is superb as Edgar the raven.

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Title: Barnaby Grimes

Subtitle: Curse of the Night Wolf

Author: Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell

Narrator: Alex Kalajzic

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-20-09

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Barnaby Grimes is a tick-tock lad - he'll deliver any message anywhere anytime. As fast as possible. Tick-tock - time is money! But strange things are afoot. One moonlit night, as Barnaby highstacks above the city, leaping from roof to roof, gutter to gable, pillar to pediment, a huge beast attacks. He barely escapes with his life. And now his friend Old Benjamin has disappeared.

Members Reviews:

This is a wonderful book to go brain dead to!

this book drives my sister and i insane with laughter! the poor young guy is always on a "high stacking" tangent! he goes on and on about the amenities of traveling by rooftop.And God forbid we forget he is a ticktock lad! he is REALLY proud of that.no really. he prattles on about how great he is at his job.but is still really funny to listen to even when you have to prop your eyes open with toothpicks for a couple of hours.over all its pretty funny!

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Title: Newton and the Three Laws of Motion

Subtitle: Scientific Discoveries

Author: Nicholas Croce

Narrator: Jay Snyder

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-11-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

He was was a physicist, a mathematician, an astronomer, and one of the most influential people in history. This audiobook follows Isaac Newton's life and work as he led the way for a torrent of new scientific understanding - and made possible the works of future scientific luminaries.

©2005 Rosen; (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

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Title: Explorers

Subtitle: Henry Hudson

Author: Josepha Sherman

Narrator: Eileen Stevens

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-11-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Young people will enjoy this fascinating biography, complete with primary source quotations from Hudson's ship logs.

Members Reviews:

Henry Hudson, English Explorer of the Northwest Passage

Great book at great price. We have a 7 year old grandson named Hudson, so we've been buying age appropriated books about Henry Hudson, his namesake. This is one is for a couple of years from now. Very pleased with the book

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Title: Everything Is Fine

Author: Ann Dee Ellis

Narrator: Carrington MacDuffie

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-10-09

Publisher: Listening Library

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Stuck at home caring for her severely depressed mother and abandoned by her father, Mazzy has only the day-to-day dramas of her neighborhood to keep her busy. But between flirting with the boy next door and worrying about the fact that she's flat-chested, Mazzy has to face the fact that her mom is emotionally paralyzed by a family tragedy. As readers delve into the story, they'll eventually discover what it was that tore Mazzy's family apart, and they'll see what it takes to put it back together.

©2009 Ann Dee Ellis; (P)2009 Listening Library

Members Reviews:

A middle-grade book?

I made the mistake of first picking up this book when my friend's little girl was going through the final stages of heart failure. Ashley was like a niece to me, so I'd cry every time I'd pick it up. I just couldn't deal with the sadness of everything. That was almost a year ago, and this book still brought up a lot of very painful memories, but in a way, it was also therapeutic for me.

The death of a child--no matter the circumstances--always brings about feeling of guilt and depression and the uncontrollable need to crawl into bed and sleep until you can be with that child again. This book illustrated all of those feelings, but because it's told through the eyes of a child, you are exposed to the raw emotion without the benefit of experience and wisdom that comes from the adult perspective of grief. Because Mazzy didn't understand what was really going on with her mother, she became the ultimate unreliable narrator.

While it is marketed for middle grade readers, I felt it more closely relates toThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Timeby Mark Haddon, though the book itself is far too short and simply constructed to be a successful adult novel. So while this book was powerful and moving and beautifully written, I'm not completely sold on it as a middle-grade novel.

Loved this book!

I gave this book 5 stars because I LOVED it! It is uniquely written in the voice of a struggling adolescent. I loved the world through the main character's eyes, even though it was innocently sad. It was a quick read, and when I read it I ran upstairs and snuggled with my kids. The book was touching and amazing - I hope you love it, too!

NO

I love this book so much. I didn't like reading a while back, but ever since I've held this beautiful novel in my hands, I've been transcend. I just wish it hadn't ended.

Touching

Everything is FIne by Ann Dee Ellis is a wonderful YA novel that explores the tragedy of mental illness in the family - from the point of view of the child.

Mazzy is the teenager in the house - and she also seems to be the only one who can function on any type of level. Her mother is highly depressed and doesn't even get out of bed and her father has all but walked away from his family. Mazzy, in her own way, tries to keep her family together and works especially hard at making the outside world believe that everything is fine, really!!!

I loved this book which is written in a very different way - there is a subject heading and then you will find Mazzy's musings under it. Some of the musings are quite funny, but most are so sad.

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Title: Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa

Author: Veronica Chambers

Narrator: Michelle Manzo

Format: Unabridged

Length: 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-03-09

Publisher: Live Oak Media

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

This soulful biography of the salsa superstar, Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa, begins with her childhood in Havana, and follows through her success in her own country, and on to her heartbreaking emigration from Cuba and into worldwide stardom. Her love for learning, her classical training, and her devotion to her birth country, are all presented in this lyrical tribute to a musical sensation, which is narrated and sung by salsa & jazz singer Michelle Manzo, with accompaniment by salsa musicians who've played with Tito Puentes, among other renowned bands.

©2007 Veronica Chambers; (P)2007 Live Oak Media

Members Reviews:

fits well

fits well with watch and my hand

Five Stars

Great book that was used in my music classroom to introduce the students to salsa music.

Spotlight Celia Cruz during Hispanic Heritage Month

I use this book in my elementary Spanish classes during Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15). Some years I read it aloud to the students, followed by on-line videos of Celia herself. Other years, I assign a coop group to read the book, conduct research, and make a presentation about Celia Cruz to the class. The book is very appealing to the students and easy to read.

Great story telling with beautiful

I originally bought this book for my classroom library. I bought it again recently for my niece. Great story telling with beautiful, vibrant artwork that captures Celia's spirit. ¡Azucar!

Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa rocks!

My three year old granddaughter loves this beautiful tribute to the late great Celia Cruz. This children's book is loaded with beautiful imagery and it's full of vibrant colors. The story is well written and provides a very nice account of Celia Cruz's life. I would definitely recommend this lovely children's book to potential customers.

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Title: Fairy Secrets

Author: Gwyneth Rees

Narrator: Sophie Ward

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-12-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Ellie never thought she'd meet fairies when she goes to stay with her aunt, but Myfanwy and Bronwen, the valley flower fairies, tell Ellie a secret. The old toy museum nearby contains the entrance to Fairyland and some of the toys can even come to life.

©2008 Gwyneth Rees;

Members Reviews:

an exciting listen

This story is all about a little girl who meets two fairies

and they tell her secrets. The fairies asked the little girl

if she will help them save the toy museum. I don't want to tell you all the story, but I think it is a cool adventure story, and I think you should listen to it.

Reviewed by Niamh aged 7.