Finding a family-friendly audio that avoids any single party from suffering of boredom or a collective family awkward moment is a struggle. I am very picky when it comes to listening to literature. If I don't like the voice, I have a hard time enjoying the work. Its difficult to take a heartbreak scene seriously when the voice gives you a Peewee Herman vibe. Here are a few that stood out to me, not only because the book itself was enjoyable, but the narrative quality was outstanding as well. I would label these as "family friendly", meaning parents and teens alike will enjoy them without having to sit through talk of raging hormones, menstruation, or anything deemed unbearable to listen to with your parents in tow. Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt Set in the late 60's, middle schooler Doug Swieteck is uprooted from his home and friends and forced to move to a self-proclaimed "dump" in Marysville, New York where his deadbeat father found another job. Doug is the youngest of three boys - his oldest brother returns from Vietnam as a paraplegic while his middle brother seems to be in constant trouble with the law. Doug's coming of age story is truly moving - I found myself crying, laughing, or seething for Doug and his family every morning on my way to work. I came to dislike certain characters only to be hit with a wave of understanding as the plot slowly reveals the motivations and individual internal struggle of each person. Really well written. Maybe even one of my favorites. A National Book Award Finalist and companion novel to Wednesday Wars (you don't necessarily have to read it though), School Library Journal "HIGHLY RECOMMENDS" this historical/realistic novel . (Grades 7 & up). Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz Nashville resident Alan Gratz writes outstanding middle school historical fiction. Many middle school boys seem to flock towards this one. Michael O'Shaunessey is the son of an Irish ambassador, but also assumes the identity of a dedicated member of The Hitler Youth in order to extract important information and deliver it to the allies. I particularly like this audio because depending on which identity he is assuming, the narrator uses either an Irish or a German accent. It makes the story more believable and dramatic. In fact, the narrator does unique and believable voices for each individual character - whether its an SS officer or a British spy! This book has elements of true events, so make sure you listen to the afterward - super interesting, especially for those history buffs in the family! (Grade 7 & up). Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick I listened to Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie during my morning commute, and I blame Jordan Sonnenblick for the entire week I had to walk into work with sunglasses on in a shameful attempt to conceal my puffy eyes. Steven's 5 year-old brother Jeffrey is suddenly diagnosed with Leukemia. As a result, Steven's entire life turns upside down. His grades drop, his parents ignore him (not to mention each other), money gets tight, and he begins to isolate himself at school. Although the setting is admittedly depressing, Sonnenblick writes in a way that brings humor to even the most bleak circumstances. He also portrays a family crisis in the eyes of a teenager in an impressive and heartfelt fashion. Pack some tissue in the car for this one, but I guarantee there will be laughs in between the tears and you will finish the book with hope rather than the contrary. (Grade 6 & up). Cinder by Marissa Meyer I love Sci-Fi. I also love fairy tales. This book is their love child. Although born human, Cinder was in a terrible accident as a child and required some very invasive surgery in order to save her. Alas, she is now a cyborg. Cyborgs are considered second class citizens in this post World War IV world. Mistreated by her evil step-mother, Cinder works a booth as a hardware mechanic. She hides her less human side with large gloves and prosthetic feet. When the handsome and dreamy Prince Kai drops his Android off for repair, he becomes smitten with Cinder. When Kai asks Cinder to the ball, she adamantly declines. What will Kai think is he knows her true identity? If you know the plot of Cinderella, you will laugh when you learn how this Science Fiction version unfolds. Although this wasn't my first choice when I picked it up, I found myself anxiously anticipating my drive home to find out what happens. The plot has so many crazy obstacles and twists, you really cannot call the ending. There is a flicker of a love story, but not enough to make the males in the car become nauseated. Hopefully the cyborg experiments and plague outbreak are enough to help them forget the infatuation. (Grade 7 & up).
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AuthorKaitlyn Benavides, M.Ed, Ed.S Archives
April 2019
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