Historical Audiobooks

The Sky We Shared

In southern Japan, Tamiko spends her time writing in her diary, dreaming of making theatrical costumes, and praying her brother Kyo makes it back from the war. She wishes she could be brave like him and help the war effort. In rural Oregon, Nellie spends her time lying in the grass, studying the stars, and wishing for her pa to return from the war. She also wishes the boy next door, Joey, would talk to her again like he used to. Soon the girls' lives become inextricably linked. Tamiko and her classmates are brought to a damp, repurposed theater to make large paper balloons to help the military. No one knows what they are for. Nellie and her classmates ration food, work in salvage drives, and support their community. No one knows what's coming. Based on Japan's Project Fu-Go during the last stretch of World War II, The Sky We Shared uses the alternating perspectives of Nellie and Tamiko to depict the shared tragedies of two countries at war.

Shirley Reva Vernick (Author), Sandy Rustin, Sophie Oda (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Silver Sword: A BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation

A BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of Ian Serraillier's classic wartime story. When the Germans march into Poland in 1941, the Balickis' happy family life is shattered. With their parents taken away by Nazis, Ruth, Edek and Bronia are forced to fend for themselves in the dangerous, war-ravaged city of Warsaw. When Edek is captured too, the girls are desperate. Then they meet orphaned street urchin Jan, who carries with him a talisman of hope: a silver sword paperknife that they recognise as having belonged to their mother. Realising that their parents may still be alive, Ruth and Bronia set off on an epic journey to Switzerland to search for them. With Jan by their side, they are determined to reunite the family - and their first step is to find Edek. But the road ahead is full of danger and hardship, and they will facemany challenges along the way... This moving story of friendship, courage and solidarity brings to life the reality of a Europe laid waste by war. Cast: Ruth - Sarah McDonald Hughes Edek - Stephen Hoyle Bronia - Hester Cox Jan - Aqib Khan Margaret/Irka/Mrs Wolff - Maggie Fox Joseph/German 1/Mr Wolff - Malcolm Raeburn Ivan - David Fleeshman Soldier/American GI - Andrew Blake Doctor - Lloyd Peters Cook/Mrs Borowicz - Szilvi Naray Davey The Burgomaster/Captain Malinowski - Jonathan Keeble Adapted by Chris Wallis. Produced and directed by Charlotte Riches.

Ian Serraillier (Author), Hester Cox, Sarah Mcdonald Hughes, Stephen Hoyle (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Shiloh Renewal

Two teenage sisters are in an automobile accident a few miles from the Civil War battlefield at Shiloh. Penny, the older sister, is killed outright, while Sandy ends up in a coma, seeing visions of oddly dressed people speaking a strange form of English, on their way to die in the great battle at Shiloh.

Joan Leslie Woodruff (Author), Rebecca Rogers (Narrator)

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The Shakespeare Stealer

Widge is an orphan with a rare talent for shorthand. His fearsome master has just one demand: steal Shakespeare's play "Hamlet"-or else. Widge has no choice but to follow orders, so he works his way into the heart of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's players perform. As full of twists and turns as a London alleyway, this entertaining novel is rich in period details, colorful characters, villainy, and drama.

Gary Blackwood (Author), Stuart Blinder (Narrator)

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The Shadow Cipher

From National Book Award finalist and Printz Award winner Laura Ruby comes the first book in an epic alternate history series about three kids who try to solve the greatest mystery of the modern world: a puzzle and treasure hunt laid into the very streets and buildings of New York City. It was 1798 when the Morningstarr twins arrived in New York with a vision for a magnificent city: towering skyscrapers, dazzling machines, and winding train lines, all running on technology no one had ever seen before. Fifty-seven years later, the enigmatic architects disappeared, leaving behind for the people of New York the Old York Cipher—a puzzle laid into the shining city they constructed, at the end of which was promised a treasure beyond all imagining. By the present day, however, the puzzle has never been solved, and the greatest mystery of the modern world is little more than a tourist attraction. Tess and Theo Biedermann and their friend Jaime Cruz live in a Morningstarr apartment—until a real estate developer announces that the city has agreed to sell him the five remaining Morningstarr buildings. Their likely destruction means the end of a dream long held by the people of New York. And if Tess, Theo, and Jaime want to save their home, they have to prove that the Old York Cipher is real. Which means they have to solve it.

Laura Ruby (Author), Adam Verner (Narrator)

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The Seventh Most Important Thing

It was a bitterly cold day when Arthur T. Owens grabbed a brick and hurled it at the trash picker. Arthur had his reasons, and the brick hit the Junk Man in the arm, not the head. But none of that matters to the judge-he is ready to send Arthur to juvie for the foreseeable future. Amazingly, it's the Junk Man himself who offers an alternative: 120 hours of community service…working for him. Arthur is given a rickety shopping cart and a list of the Seven Most Important Things: glass bottles, foil, cardboard, pieces of wood, lightbulbs, coffee cans, and mirrors. He can't believe it-is he really supposed to rummage through people's trash? But it isn't long before Arthur realizes there's more to the Junk Man than meets the eye, and the "trash" he's collecting is being transformed into something more precious than anyone could imagine.… Acclaimed author Shelley Pearsall tells a powerful story about discovering what shines within us all, even when life seems full of darkness.

Shelley Pearsall (Author), Nick Podehl (Narrator)

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The Serpent King

AD 936 The great warrior, Einar Unnsson, wants revenge. His mother's assassin has stolen her severed head and Einar is hungry for his blood. Only one thing holds him back. He is a newly sworn in Wolf Coat, and must accompany them on their latest quest. The Wolf Coats are a band of fearsome bloodthirsty warriors, who roam the seas, killing any enemies who get in their way. Now they're determined to destroy their biggest enemy, King Eirik, as he attempts to take the throne of Norway. Yet, for Einar, the urge to return to Iceland is growing every day. Only there, in his homeland, can he avenge his mother and salve his grief. But what Einar doesn't know is that this is where an old enemy lurks, and his thirst for vengeance equals Einar's...

Tim Hodkinson (Author), Rycharde Everley (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Senate

The Senate is a part of Congress that has 100 members. Every state elects two senators to represent its people. In this title, leveled text and matching photos show beginning readers what the Senate is, what Senators do, and why these congresspeople have such an important job. Added features show how the branches of government work together, outline the requirements for the job, and ask readers to answer a thought-provoking question.

Mari Schuh (Author), Dana Fleming (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Secrets of Vesuvius

Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia and Lupus–the four friends from The Thieves of Ostia–sail to the Bay of Naples to spend the summer with Flavia’s uncle, who lives near Pompeii. There they uncover a riddle that may lead them to great treasure. Meanwhile, tremors shake the ground, animals behave strangely, and people dream of impending doom. One of the worst natural disasters of all time is about to happen: the eruption of Mount Vesuvius! This second in a series of Roman mysteries follows the children as they travel by sailboat, explore vineyards, and celebrate a Roman festival on the beach at Herculaneum in A.D. 79–not realizing they are in terrible danger. Will they solve their riddle? And more importantly, will they survive the volcanic eruption that buried Pompeii?

Caroline Lawrence (Author), Kim Hicks (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Secret of Gumbo Grove

Eleven-year-old Raisin enjoys doing odd jobs for old Ms. Effie Pfluggins. Ms. Effie is the church secretary, and she has fascinating stories to tell about the African American history and people of Gumbo Grove. When old Miss Pfluggins asks her to help clean up the church cemetery, Raisin discovers a real-life mystery that no one wants to talk about. There's a famous person buried in a forgotten plot, but the townsfolk seem to think that the past is better left buried. Now Raisin's parents are watching her every move and they don't want her nosing around in the cemetery anymore. How can she ignore a mystery that the whole town seems eager to forget? Eleanora E. Tate blends mystery, warmth, and humor into an unforgettable tale set in a small North Carolina town. Children of any age or race will identify with this spirited African-American girl who values truth and stands up for her beliefs.

Eleanora Tate (Author), Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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The Secret Horses of Briar Hill

"Deserves a spot on the shelf next to the most beloved children's classics—yes, even The Secret Garden." —Shelf Awareness, Starred Review Described as "reminiscent of the Chronicles of Narnia" in a starred review, The Secret Horses of Briar Hill shows readers everywhere that there is color in our world—they just need to know where to look. There are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill hospital—the mirrors that reflect the elegant rooms once home to a princess, now filled with sick children. Only Emmaline can see the creatures. It is her secret. One morning, Emmaline climbs over the wall of the hospital’s abandoned gardens and discovers something incredible: a white horse with a broken wing has left the mirror-world and entered her own. The horse, named Foxfire, is hiding from a dark and sinister force—a Black Horse who hunts by colorless moonlight. If Emmaline is to keep him from finding her new friend, she must surround Foxfire with treasures of brilliant shades. But where can Emmaline find color in a world of gray? A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2016 "Endearing characters, metaphors for life and death, and a slow revelation of the horrors of war give this slim novel a surprising amount of heft."—Booklist, Starred Review "In clear, gripping, flawless prose . . . this exquisite, beautifully illustrated middle-grade novel explodes with raw anguish, magic and hope, and readers will clutch it to their chests and not want to let go."—Shelf Awareness, Starred Review "Reminiscent of the Chronicles of Narnia, Elizabeth Goudge, or a child's version of Life of Pi. . . . Readers will love this to pieces." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review "Magical, terrifying, and full of heart. Open these pages, and ride true."—Newbery Honor-winning author Kathi Appelt "A remarkable book. Astonishing!"—Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse

Megan Shepherd (Author), Fiona Hardingham (Narrator)

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The Secret Garden

Few children's classics can match the charm and originality of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, the unforgettable story of sullen, sulky Mary Lennox, "the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen." When a cholera epidemic leaves her as an orphan, Mary is sent to England to live with her reclusive uncle, Archibald Craven, at Misselthwaite Manor. Unloved and unloving, Mary wanders the desolate moors until one day she chances upon the door of a secret garden. What follows is one of the most beautiful tales of transformation in children's literature, as Mary her sickly and tyrannical cousin Colin and a peasant boy named Dickson secretly strive to make the garden bloom once more. A unique blend of realism and magic, The Secret Garden remains a moving expression of every child's need to nurture and be nurtured-a story that has captured for all time the rare and enchanted world of childhood.

Frances Hodgson Burnett (Author), Finola Hughes (Narrator)

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