The New York Times included three outstanding Listening Library titles on their list of Notable Children’s Books this year. But they aren’t the only ones taking note. These audiobooks are shooting to the top of “Best Of” lists across the country and receiving critical acclaim across the board. See the full New York Times list here.
Young Adult
ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow RowellRead by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra
In Eleanor & Park, listeners are invited to hop on board a bus in 1986 to observe two star-crossed misfits who experience bullying, bravery, and love over the course of one school year. As The New York Times describes it, “A misfit girl from an abusive home and a Korean-American boy from a happy one bond over music and comics on the school bus in this novel, which our reviewer, John Green, said ‘reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.’”
★ “Narrators Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra turn in superb performances in their portrayal of Eleanor and Park… Listeners of all ages will be able to enjoy this audio edition.”—Publishers Weekly starred review
FANGIRL by Rainbow RowellRead by Rebecca Lowman and Maxwell Caulfield
Fangirls and fanguys of Eleanor & Park will love Rainbow Rowell’s second YA novel. She returns with narrator Rebecca Lowman (the voice of Eleanor) to introduce listeners to Cath and her twin sister, Wren, two diehard fans of writer Simon Snow. The New York Times says, “Rowell cleverly interweaves the story of an introverted girl’s freshman year in college — and first romance — with the ‘Harry Potter’-like fan fiction she writes in her spare time.”
Critics rave about this Library Reads #1 Pick!.
“Narrator Rebecca Lowman creates another stunning portrayal in Cath… Narrator Maxwell Caulfield delivers periodic snippets of a Harry Potter-like series and fragments of Cath’s fanfiction. His crisp British tones provide exquisite contrast to Lowman’s more emotive narration.”—AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award Winner
Middle Grade
FLORA & ULYSSES by Kate DiCamilloRead by Tara Sands
Listeners will love this laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters by master storyteller Kate DiCamillo. As described by The New York Times, “A freak accident with a vacuum cleaner turns an ordinary squirrel into a super-hero in this madcap chapter book by the author of Because of Winn-Dixie, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.”
★ “Original, touching and oh-so-funny tale starring an endearingly implausible superhero and a not-so-cynical girl.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Watch narrator Tara Sands describe the audiobook in 35 seconds here.
Click here to see The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2013 for Adults..
