Audiobooks Narrated by Ron Butler

Because of You, John Lewis

Ten-year-old Tybre Faw is obsessed with history and the civil rights movement, and he devours every book he can find on the subject. When he learns of Congressman John Lewis's harrowing and heroic march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the fight for the right to vote, Tybre is determined to meet him. Tybre's two grandmothers take him on the seven-hour drive to Selma. And as the two meet and become fast friends, Tybre joins Lewis for the annual walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge! When John Lewis is laid to rest, Tybre is invited to read Lewis's favorite poem, ""Invictus,"" at the funeral service. Pinkney weaves this story of a boy with a dream--with the story of a true-life hero (who himself was inspired by Martin Luther King when he was a boy). Both John Lewis and Martin Luther King, Jr. have left indelible marks on future generations. Will Tybre be next to carry the mantle?

Andrea Davis Pinkney (Author), Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America

Edited by National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi, Black Enough is an essential collection of captivating stories about what it's like to be young and black. "A powerful collection that opens the reader's eyes to the breadth and diversity of contemporary experience in America" June Sarpong, author of DIVERSIFY Black is male, Black is female, Black is straight, Black is gay, Black is urban, Black is rural, Black is rich. And poor. Black is mixed-race, Black is immigrants, Black is more. There are countless ways to be BLACK ENOUGH. Featuring some of the most acclaimed bestselling American black authors writing for teens today, Black Enough is an essential collection of captivating stories about what it's like to be young and black. Whether you are in America, the UK, or anywhere across the globe, this powerful collection of stories will remind you of our shared humanity. With an Introduction by June Sarpong, author of DIVERSIFY Stories from: Renee Watson, Varian Johnson, Leah Henderson, Lamar Giles, Kekla Magoon, Jason Reynolds, Brandy Colbert, Tochi Onyebuchi, Liara Tamani, Jay Coles, Rita Williams-Garcia, Tracey Baptiste, Dhonielle Clayton, Justina Ireland, Coe Booth, Nic Stone and Ibi Zoboi

Ibi Zoboi (Author), Bahni Turpin, Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Brave the Page

The official NaNoWriMo handbook that inspires young people to tackle audacious goals and complete their creative projects. Partly a how-to guide on the nitty-gritty of writing, partly a collection of inspiration to set (and meet) ambitious goals, Brave the Page is the go-to resource for middle-grade writers. Narrated in a fun, refreshingly kid-friendly voice, it champions NaNoWriMo's central mission that everyone's stories deserve to be told. The volume includes chapters on character, plot, setting, and the like; motivating essays from popular authors; advice on how to commit to your goals; a detailed plan for writing a novel or story in a month; and more! National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes in the transformational power of creativity. They provide the structure, community, and encouragement to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds--on and off the page. With its first event in 1999, the organization's programs now include National Novel Writing Month in November, Camp NaNoWriMo, the Young Writers Program, Come Write In, and the 'Now What?' Months. Includes an introduction written and read by Jason Reynolds   Featuring Motivational Pep Talks from:   JOHN GREEN #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars (read by Ron Butler) MARISSA MEYER New York Times bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles (read by the author) JENNIFER NIVEN New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places (read by the author) DANIEL JOSÉ OLDER New York Times bestselling author of Shadowshaper (read by the author) DANIELLE PAIGE New York Times bestselling author of Dorothy Must Die (read by the author) CELIA C. PÉREZ Pura Belpré Honor-winning author of The First Rule of Punk (read by the author) SCOTT WESTERFELD New York Times bestselling author of the Uglies series (read by the author)

Grant Faulkner, Rebecca Stern (Author), , Celia Perez, Daniel Jose Older, Danielle Paige, Jason Reynolds, Jennifer Niven, Marissa Meyer, Ron Butler, Scott Westerfield (Narrator)

Audiobook

Class Act

New York Times bestselling author Jerry Craft returns with a companion book to New Kid, winner of the 2020 Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Kirkus Prize. The audiobook was a 2020 Audie Awards Finalist for Middle Grade and named an Audible Best Audiobook of the Year. This time, it’s Jordan’s friend Drew who takes center stage in another laugh-out-loud funny, powerful, and important story about being one of the few kids of color in a prestigious private school. Eighth grader Drew Ellis is no stranger to the saying “You have to work twice as hard to be just as good.” His grandmother has reminded him his entire life. But what if he works ten times as hard and still isn’t afforded the same opportunities that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted? To make matters worse, Drew begins to feel as if his good friend Liam might be one of those privileged kids. He wants to pretend like everything is fine, but it's hard not to withdraw, and even their mutual friend Jordan doesn't know how to keep the group together. As the pressures mount, will Drew find a way to bridge the divide so he and his friends can truly accept each other? And most important, will he finally be able to accept himself? This original full-cast audio adaptation of the graphic novel is performed by Jesus Del Orden, Nile Bullock, Guy Lockard, Robin Miles, Peyton Lusk, Marc Thompson, Rebecca Soler, Dan Bittner, January LaVoy, Phoebe Strole, Jordan Cobb, Ron Butler, A.J Beckles, Miles J. Harvey, Kim Mai Guest, Kyla Garcia, and Soneela Nankani. New Kid, the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal, is now joined by Jerry Craft's powerful Class Act.

Jerry Craft (Author), A.J Beckles, Dan Bittner, Guy Lockard, January Lavoy, Jesus Del Orden, Jordan Cobb, Kim Mai Guest, Kyla Garcia, Marc Thompson, Miles Harvey, Nile Bullock, Peyton Lusk, Phoebe Strole, Rebecca Soler, Robin Miles, Ron Butler, Soneela Nankani (Narrator)

Audiobook

Double Cross: Deception Techniques in War

How does deception factor into fighting wars, and is it effective? In an intriguing companion to The Dark Game, Paul B. Janeczko reveals the truth about the strategic lies of war. The biblical account of Gideon. The ancient story of the Trojan horse. Deceptive techniques have been used in war through the ages. But while the principles have changed very little, the technology behind fooling the enemy has evolved dramatically. Paul B. Janeczko’s fascinating chronology focuses on the American Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf Wars to reveal evolving attitudes toward the use and effectiveness of deceptive operations. Find out the secret plan behind the invasion of Normandy and the details of General Schwarzkopf’s “Hail Mary play” during the Gulf War, among many other strategies and maneuvers designed to pull the wool over enemies’ eyes.

Paul B. Janeczko (Author), Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dragons in a Bag

The dragon's out of the bag in this diverse, young urban fantasy from an award-winning author! When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she's not his grandmother--but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they'll be safe. There are two rules when it comes to the dragons: don't let them out of the bag, and don't feed them anything sweet. Before he knows it, Jax and his friends Vikram and Kavita have broken both rules! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever?

Zetta Elliott (Author), Ron Butler, Zetta Elliott (Narrator)

Audiobook

King and the Dragonflies

Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family. It would be easier if King could talk with his best friend, Sandy Sanders. But just days before he died, Khalid told King to end their friendship, after overhearing a secret about Sandy-that he thinks he might be gay. "You don't want anyone to think you're gaytoo, do you?" But when Sandy goes missing, sparking a town-wide search, and King finds his former best friend hiding in a tent in his backyard, he agrees to help Sandy escape from his abusive father, and the two begin an adventure as they build their own private paradise down by the bayou and among the dragonflies. As King's friendship with Sandy is reignited, he's forced to confront questions about himself and the reality of his brother's death.

Kacen Callender (Author), Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Narwhal and Jelly Audio Bundle

'Hilarious and charming' – Dav Pilkey, bestselling author of Dogman and Captain Underpants All SIX of the Narwhal and Jelly books available as an audio collection!

Ben Clanton (Author), Barrett Leddy, Cassandra Morris, Courtney Lin, Dion Graham, J.D. Jackson, Kirby Heyborne, Rachel L. Jacobs, Ron Butler, Socks Whitmore (Narrator)

Audiobook

New Kid

An original full-cast audio adaptation of the graphic novel from award-winning author-illustrator Jerry Craft, performed by the author with Jesus Del Orden, Nile Bullock, Robin Miles, Guy Lockard, Peyton Lusk, Rebecca Soler, Dan Bittner, Phoebe Strole, Marc Thompson, Miles Harvey, and Ron Butler. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, New Kid is a timely, honest novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real. Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself? Filled with sound effects and original music, this audio adventure is one the whole family will enjoy.

Jerry Craft (Author), Dan Bittner, Guy Lockard, Jesus Del Orden, Marc Thompson, Miles Harvey, Nile Bullock, Peyton Lusk, Phoebe Strole, Rebecca Soler, Robin Miles, Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

Somewhere in Brooklyn, a little boy dreams of being a famous artist, not knowing that one day he would make himself a king. Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe's vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat's own style introduces young readers to the powerful message that art doesn't always have to be neat or clean--and definitely not inside the lines--to be beautiful. This stunning picture book was awarded the 2017 Randolph Caldecott Medal and the 2017 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award.

Javaka Steptoe (Author), Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Rebound

From the New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander comes Rebound, the dynamic prequel to his Newbery Award-winning novel in verse, The Crossover. Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to Newbery Medal winner The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshiping, basketball star his sons look up to. A novel in verse with all the impact and rhythm readers have come to expect from Kwame Alexander, Rebound will go back in time to visit the childhood of Chuck "Da Man" Bell during one pivotal summer when young Charlie is sent to stay with his grandparents where he discovers basketball and learns more about his family's past.

Kwame Alexander (Author), Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sauerkraut

A new quirky-funny book from the author of Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer about a boy whose plans for the summer go sideways when the ghost of his great-great-grandmother demands his attention. HD Schenk is a maker--an inventor, someone who builds cool stuff. He's got a plan for the summer: he'll build his own computer and enter it in the county fair. Then everyone will know who he is and what he can do. To earn enough money for the parts he'll need, HD has promised to clear out his uncle's overflowing basement. No big deal, right? But there's more in that basement than HD bargained for. On his first trip down there, a voice only he can hear starts talking to him. About...sauerkraut? Who knew the ghost of his great-great-grandmother was haunting an old pickling crock? She's got a grand plan, too. She wants HD to help make her famous recipe for sauerkraut and enter it in the county fair so that she can be declared pickle queen. After some initial shock, HD is willing enough to help. This ghost is family, after all. But only HD can really see and hear his Oma, which is going to make it hard for her to win on her own... Kelly Jones spins a wonderfully goofy ghost tale that celebrates creative problem solving, family ties, and makers of every variety.

Kelly Jones (Author), Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook