The Horn Book - Recommended Audiobooks

shouchi

The Horn Book - Recommended Audiobooks http://archive.hbook.com/resources/books/audiobooks.asp

The audiobooks recommended below were released within the last several years. Grade levels are only suggestions; the individual child is the real criterion. Younger Fiction Suggested grade level for each entry: 1–3

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.

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. 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. Old Yeller by Fred Gipson; read by Peter Francis James (Caedmon/HarperAudio) James’s sensitive baritone voice captures a reminiscent, conversational tone in this adaptation of the Newbery Honor title, a quintessential story of a boy’s love for his dog. 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 bySally 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. Lucky Breaks by Susan Patron; read by Cassandra Campbell (Listening Library) Lucky finds herself resenting Lincoln (who seems to be leaving her behind) and decides to adopt visitor Paloma as her new best friend. Narrator Campbell gets right inside Lucky’s head; secondary characters are spot-on. Grade level: 4–6. 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. First Light by Rebecca Stead; read by David Ackroyd and Coleen Marlo (Listening Library) In this magical realism novel, Peter travels to Greenland (where his father is researching global warming); Thea worries for the survival of her hidden home beneath the ice. Marlo especially excels at inhabiting Thea and the many women in her matriarchal society. 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 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. Narrator Jones gives a riveting, hilarious portrayal of the wisecracking Bartimaeus, Grade level: 5 and up. On the Blue Comet by Rosemary Wells; read by Malcolm Hillgartner (Brilliance Audio) In this time-travel mystery set during the Depression, Oscar somehow finds himself transported onto one of his train set’s trains — bound for California ten years in the future. Hillgartner’s performance captures Oscar’s growing sense of adventure. Grade level: 5 and up. 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. 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. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson; read by Jeannie Stith (Brilliance Audio) When her former best friend is found dead, Lia’s anorexia and addiction to cutting spiral out of control. Stith performs Lia’s stream of conscious narrative in a soft, powerful voice. Grade level: 7 and up. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M. T. Anderson; read by Peter Francis James (Listening Library) James brings great warmth and accessibility to Octavian’s continued odyssey. The promise of freedom compels Octavian south to join the Ethiopian Regiment against Washington’s “rebels.” Grade level: 7 and up. 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. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins; read by Carolyn McCormick (Scholastic Audiobooks) In this second Hunger Games novel, Katniss and Peeta are back in the Games while revolution breaks out. McCormick captures the intense emotions below the surface of Katniss’s narration. Grade level: 7 and up. If I Stay by Gayle Forman; read by Kirsten Potter (Listening Library) A family car trip ends tragically, leaving Mia to a face a critical choice. Potter conveys Mia’s raw emotion and tender memories as she contemplates life as the accident’s sole survivor. Grade level: 7 and up. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman; read by the author (Recorded Books) When a baby inadvertently 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. White Sands, Red Menace by Ellen Klages; read by Julie Dretzin (Recorded Books) In this Atomic Era sequel to The Glass Green Sea, Dewey and Suze, now in high school in New Mexico, navigate their fraught friendship and new experiences. Dretzin does a beautiful job subtly differentiating her characters. Grade level: 6–8. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan; read by Anne Flosnik and Michael Page (Brilliance Audio) The victim of incest and gang rape, Liga is magically removed to her own safe, bland “heaven,” where she raises her two daughters until intrusions from the real world force her return. The narrators each do full justice to Lanagan’s vivid prose. Grade level: 8–adult. 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: 7 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. Narrator Whelan delivers a flawless performance. Grade level: 7 and up. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver; read by Sarah Drew (Listening Library) Sam is killed in a car accident — but wakes up the next day and relives the last day of her life for a week. Drew gives a compelling narration of a mean girl who learns life lessons a bit too late. Grade level: 7 and up. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater; read by Jenna Lamia and David Ledoux (Scholastic Audio) Linger by Maggie Stiefvater; read by Dan Bittner, Pierce Cravens, Emma Galvin, and Jenna Lamia (Scholastic Audio) In Shiver, Grace rescues Sam, a werewolf in his human form. In Linger, Sam is cured but doubts his newfound humanity, while Grace grows ill with the aftereffects of a childhood bite. These engaging audio adaptations bring out the books’ sensory and sensual elements. 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: 7 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: 7 and up. The Killer’s Cousin by Nancy Werlin; read by Nick Podehl (Brilliance Audio) In this thriller, David (recently acquitted in the murder of his girlfriend) tries to escape his past by moving in with his aunt and uncle — who are grieving over their daughter’s supposed suicide. Podehl’s reading is quiet and sensitive, letting suspense build through the novel’s expert pacing. Grade level: 7 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. [ 本帖最后由 shouchi 于 2012-2-20 22:05 编辑 ]