Health & Family Audiobooks

Wolf Hollow

A young girl's kindness, compassion, and honesty overcome bullying. This exquisite debut confronts injustice and doesn't flinch. People [A] powerful debut . . . beautifully written. The Wall Street Journal 'Wrenching and true. . . . comparisons to Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird will abound. But Wolk gives us her own story one full of grace and stark, brutal beauty.' The New York Times Book Review Growing up in the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative, and while her bullying seems isolated at first, things quickly escalate, and reclusive World War I veteran Toby becomes a target of her attacks. While others have always seen Toby's strangeness, Annabelle knows only kindness. She will soon need to find the courage to stand as a lone voice of justice as tensions mount. Brilliantly crafted, Wolf Hollow is a haunting tale of America at a crossroads and a time when one girl's resilience, strength, and compassion help to illuminate the darkest corners of our history. The honesty of Wolf Hollow will just about shred your heart, but Annabelle's courage and compassion will restore it to you, fuller than before. This book matters. Sara Pennypacker, New York Times bestselling author of Pax An evocative setting, memorable characters, a searing story: Wolf Hollow has stayed with me long after I closed the book. It has the feel of an instant classic.' Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author From the Hardcover edition.

Lauren Wolk (Author), Emily Rankin (Narrator)

Audiobook

As Brave As You

When two brothers decide to prove how brave they are, everything backfires-literally-in this piercing middle grade novel by the winner of the Coretta Scott King - Johnson Steptoe Award.Genie's summer is full of surprises. The first is that he and his big brother, Ernie, are leaving Brooklyn for the very first time to spend the summer with their grandparents all the way in Virginia-in the COUNTRY! The second surprise comes when Genie figures out that their grandfather is blind. Thunderstruck and-being a curious kid-Genie peppers Grandpop with questions about how he covers it so well (besides wearing way cool Ray-Bans). How does he match his clothes? Know where to walk? Cook with a gas stove? Pour a glass of sweet tea without spilling it? Genie thinks Grandpop must be the bravest guy he's ever known, but he starts to notice that his grandfather never leaves the house-as in NEVER. And when he finds the secret room that Grandpop is always disappearing into-a room so full of songbirds and plants that it's almost as if it's been pulled inside-out-he begins to wonder if his grandfather is really so brave after all. Then Ernie lets him down in the bravery department. It's his fourteenth birthday, and, Grandpop says to become a man, you have to learn how to shoot a gun. Genie thinks that is AWESOME until he realizes Ernie has no interest in learning how to shoot. None. Nada. Dumbfounded by Ernie's reluctance, Genie is left to wonder-is bravery and becoming a man only about proving something, or is it just as important to own up to what you won't do?

Jason Reynolds (Author), Guy Lockard (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Parent Agency

A boy travels to an alternate world where kids get to choose their own parents in this zany, internationally bestselling adventure, which combines the be-careful-what-you-wish-for humor of The Chocolate Touch with the classic appeal of Roald Dahl. Barry Bennett is sick of his parents. They're boring, they're too strict, and it's their fault his name is Barry. So he makes a wish for better ones-and is whisked away to the Parent Agency, where kids get to pick out their perfect parents. For Barry, this seems like a dream come true. But as he's about to discover, choosing a new mom and dad isn't as simple as it sounds... The Parent Agency is the first children's book by British author and comedian David Baddiel.

David Baddiel (Author), David Baddiel (Narrator)

Audiobook

Lily and Dunkin

Gephart has written a story that will speak not just to one specific community, but to humanity as a whole.'--VOYAFor readers who enjoyed Wonder and Counting by 7's, award-winning author Donna Gephart crafts a compelling dual narrative about two remarkable young people: Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a boy dealing with bipolar disorder. Their powerful story will shred your heart, then stitch it back together with kindness, humor, bravery, and love.'Lily and Dunkinis a delight. Here's a book for anyone who's ever struggled with being different--or anyone who's ever loved someone who bears the burden of difference.Donna Gephart's book is about trans children, and bipolar children, and their parents, of course, but what it's really about is friendship, and the redeeming power of love.Crucial, heart-breaking, and inspiring. Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of She's Not There, and Stuck in the Middle with You. Lily Jo McGrother, born Timothy McGrother, is a girl. But being a girl is not so easy when you look like a boy. Especially when you're in the eighth grade. Dunkin Dorfman, birth name Norbert Dorfman,is dealing with bipolar disorder and has just moved from the New Jersey town he's called home for the past thirteen years. This would be hard enough, but the fact that he is also hiding from a painful secret makes it even worse. One summer morning, Lily Jo McGrother meets Dunkin Dorfman, and their lives forever change.A JLG Selection!An Indie Next Pick!Amazon Best Book of the Month!CBC's May Hot Off the Press!An NAIBA Seasonal Pick!Another Indie Favorite Title!'Gephart clearly has a lot of heart, and she tells their stories with compassion.'--Kirkus'A thoughtfully and sensitively written work of character-driven fiction that dramatically addresses two important subjects that deserve more widespread attention.'--Booklist, starredGephart sympathetically contrasts the physical awkwardness, uncertainty, and longings of these two outsiders during a few tightly-plotted months, building to a crescendo of revelation…[A] valuable portrait of two teenagers whose journeys are just beginning.--PW'This would be a fantastic addition to any middle grade library collection, and is highly recommended for all ages.'--VOYAFrom the Hardcover edition.

Donna Gephart (Author), Donna Gephart, Michael Crouch, Ryan Gesell (Narrator)

Audiobook

Best Friends for Never

When a friendship pact goes magically awry, eleven-year-old Hattie must figure out how to make amends. After Hattie and her three best friends watch one of their classmates publicly defriended in the school cafeteria, they make a loyalty pact promising never to mistreat each other. But after Hattie unwittingly breaks the pact, her friends begin ignoring her. In fact, they literally don't even know who she is anymore! Can Hattie figure out how to break the spell and make things right again? Acclaimed author Adrienne Vrettos brings poignancy and gentle humor to this magical story of friendship and loyalty.

Adrienne Maria Vrettos (Author), Emily Eiden (Narrator)

Audiobook

Every Exquisite Thing

Nanette O'Hare is an unassuming teen who has played the role of dutiful daughter, hardworking student, and star athlete for as long as she can remember. But when a beloved teacher gives her his worn copy of The Bugglegum Reaper--a mysterious, out-of-print cult classic--the rebel within Nanette awakens. As she befriends the reclusive author, falls in love with a young but troubled poet, and attempts to insert her true self into the world with wild abandon, Nanette learns the hard way that rebellion sometimes comes at a high price. A celebration of the self and the formidable power of story, Every Exquisite Thing is Matthew Quick at his finest.

Matthew Quick (Author), Vanessa Johansson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat

From three-time Newbery Honor author Gary Paulsen comes a laugh-out-loud novella about six wacky misfits who get stuck together in a school restroom and discover friendship.It seemed like a normal school day, until a horrible storm forced the very cautious school administration to make everyone hole up in a safe place. Six students find themselves stuck in a tiny, questionably smelly space-a school bathroom-with a stuffed cat for entertainment. Hijinks ensue and the unexpected happens. They enter as strangers...and leave as friends.

Gary Paulsen (Author), Kirby Heyborne (Narrator)

Audiobook

Thunder Boy Jr.

Thunder Boy Jr. is named after his dad, but he wants a name that's all his own. Just because people call his dad Big Thunder doesn't mean he wants to be Little Thunder. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he's done, like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder. But just when Thunder Boy Jr. thinks all hope is lost, he and his dad pick the perfect name...a name that is sure to light up the sky. National Book Award-winner Sherman Alexie's lyrical text and Caldecott Honor-winner Yuyi Morales's striking and beautiful illustrations celebrate the special relationship between father and son. ** Please contact Customer Service for additional documents.

Sherman Alexie (Author), David Alexie, Sherman Alexie (Narrator)

Audiobook

Swing Sideways

Perfect for fans of Bridge to Terabithia and Walk Two Moons, this debut middle grade novel is the story of two girls and the unforgettable summer in which they learn about true friendship and loss. Annie has been promised a summer of freedom in the country. Freedom from a difficult school year, freedom from her fake "friends" back in the city, and, most of all, freedom from her mom's life-governing spreadsheets and rigid schedules. When Annie meets California, who is visiting her grandfather's farm, it seems she has found the perfect partner for the summer she's always craved. Especially when California offers Annie a real-life adventure: if she and Annie can find the ponies her mom rode as a girl, surely it will remind her mom how wonderful the farm is-and fix what's broken between her mom and her grandfather. But Annie's summer of freedom is sprinkled with secrets, and everything she has learned about bravery and love will be put to the test when the truth behind the ultimate secret changes her life forever.

Nanci Turner Steveson (Author), Tara Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Berenstain Bears Take Off!

Learn all about the history of flight in this high-flying addition to the classic New York Times bestselling series. The Berenstain Bears attend the Big Air Show at Bear Country Airport and watch jet planes, helicopters, rocket planes, and more, all from inside a hot-air balloon! Everyone's favorite bear family finds out more and more about the history of flight the higher they soar. Young readers will enjoy learning about the different planes lifting off at Bear Country Airport in this book, complete with vivid and classic illustrations. The Berenstain Bears Take Off! is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

Mike Berenstain (Author), Lance Rubin (Narrator)

Audiobook

House of Secrets: Clash of the Worlds

The final book in the New York Times bestselling House of Secrets series that was called "a breakneck, jam-packed roller coaster of an adventure" by J. K. Rowling. Created by Hollywood director Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter fame) and bestselling author Ned Vizzini (It's Kind of a Funny Story), with the acclaimed author of the Codename Zero series and the Fourth Stall saga, Chris Rylander. With their last adventure just barely over, the Walker kids thought life would finally go back to normal. But things don't remain calm for long . . . especially when the colossus Fat Jagger turns up in San Francisco Bay-and he's in danger! With the police closing in, the Walkers must figure out how to save their giant friend. When a frost beast is spotted in Santa Rosa-and more mystical creatures start appearing all over America-it's soon clear that the characters from Denver Kristoff's works are invading the real world. It's up to Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia to reenter the book world one last time to keep the worlds from colliding, causing mass destruction. They will have to track down three Worldkeepers hidden in Kristoff's books-magical items that when used together will seal the worlds off for good. But the Walkers' first move leads them straight into the Wild West, with lethal outlaws and lawless deputies-and that's just the beginning. They'll encounter dinosaurs, aliens, killer robots, and the Wind Witch herself-with new friends and old-and be faced with some of the deadliest choices they'll ever have to make. The scariest thing of all could be deciding who to trust, since everyone is hiding something. . . .

Chris Columbus, Chris Rylander, Ned Vizzini (Author), Daniel Vincent Gordh (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Screaming Statue

In this second book in the exceptional Curiosity House series by bestselling author Lauren Oliver and shadowy recluse H. C. Chester, four extraordinary children must avenge their friend's death, try to save their home, and unravel the secrets of their past . . . before their past unravels them. Pippa, Sam, Thomas, and Max are happy to be out of harm's way now that the notorious villain Nicholas Rattigan is halfway across the country in Chicago. But unfortunately their home, Dumfreys's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders, is in danger of closing its doors forever. But their troubles only get worse. The four friends are shocked when their beloved friend, famous sculptor Siegfried Eckleberger, is murdered. As they investigate, they find clues that his death may be tied to the murder of a rich and powerful New York heiress, as well as to their own pasts. This is the second book in the series and so boasts many wondrous and mysterious things inside, such as: · Howie, the "Human Owl," whose head turns just about all the way around · A mean but important house cat · Some perfectly ghastly wax sculptures · A very thin boy named Chubby · An awful mechanical leg It continues not to have: · A cautionary tale about running with scissors · A list of time-consuming chores · Nutritious and decidedly not delicious vegetables · A perfectly sweet bedtime story about a wayward bunny · Two wet kisses on the cheek from your aunt Mildred Learn more about the series online at www.thecuriosityhouse.com.

H. C. Chester, Lauren Oliver (Author), Greg Steinbruner (Narrator)

Audiobook