Non-Fiction Audiobooks

Baseball Dreams: The Story of Roberto Clemente

Highlights presents Baseball Dreams written by Lisa Benjamin. Despite growing up poor on the island of Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente's dream came true when he signed to play baseball with the Montreal Royals. His first season was a disappointing one, but he would go on to win two World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates and accomplish what very few baseball players accomplish--score his 3000th hit.

Lisa Benjamin (Author), Highlights For Children (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bark Scorpions

Bark scorpions are the only scorpions in the Sonoran Desert that can climb! These critters use their ability to hide in cool, dark places while they wait to ambush their prey! Find out more about how bark scorpions survive the scorching Sonoran in this informative title!

Patrick Perish (Author), Dana Fleming (Narrator)

Audiobook

Barbed Wire Baseball

Barbed Wire Baseball tells the awe-inspiring tale of Kenichi “Zeni” Zenimura, who never gave up hope or let go of a dream. As a young boy in Hawaii, Zeni knew that he wanted to be a baseball player, even though most people thought he was too small to play. As he grew older, his parents suggested other careers for him, like medicine or law. But Zeni kept playing baseball and grew up to be a successful player and manager, eventually playing in games with baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. But after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, Zeni, his wife, and their two sons, along with more than 100,000 other American citizens of Japanese descent, were sent to internment camps in the American Midwest and West. They were imprisoned not for any wrongdoing but simply because of their ancestry. At the Gila River War Relocation Center in Arizona, Zeni did not allow his situation to overcome him. Instead, with his sons and friends, he built a baseball field that gave all the imprisoned a sense of pride and hope for the future. The life of Kenichi Zenimura, who was later named the father of Japanese American baseball, offers an inspiring true story from a little discussed segment of American history.

Marissa Moss (Author), Brian Nishii (Narrator)

Audiobook

Barack Obama: The First African American President: Voices Leveled Library Readers

In 1926, Trudy Ederle became the first woman and the fastest person to swim the English Channel.

Maya Cady (Author), Highlights For Children (Narrator)

Audiobook

Barack Obama: 44th U.S. President

This title examines the remarkable life of Barack Obama. Readers will learn about his childhood, education, community organizer work, and law career. Obama’s entry into politics is discussed in detail, including his rise from state senator to the first African-American president of the United States. Obama’s family life and societal contributions are also covered. Color photos and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-read, compelling text. Features include a timeline, facts, additional resources, web sites, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. Essential Lives is a series in Essential Library, an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company. Grades 6-9.

Tom Robinson (Author), Christopher Hopkins Ward (Narrator)

Audiobook

Barack Obama

Ever since Barack Obama was young, Hope has lived inside him. From the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Chicago, from the jungles of Indonesia to the plains of Kenya, he has held on to Hope. Even as a boy, Barack knew he wasn't quite like anybody else, but through his journeys he found the ability to listen to Hope and become what he was meant to be: a bridge to bring people together. This is the moving story of an exceptional man, as told by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Bryan Collier, both winners of the Coretta Scott King Award. Barack Obama has motivated Americans to believe with him, to believe that every one of us has the power to change ourselves and change our world.

Nikki Grimes (Author), Nikki Grimes (Narrator)

Audiobook

Balloon Trees

Ever wonder how a balloon is made? Follow the journey of a balloon from its beginnings as gooey sap in a tree to its completion at a rubber factory. You'll be surprised to discover what a balloon started out as and how it becomes the bright, air-filled decoration that you enjoy today.

Danna Smith (Author), Katharine Hall (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ballet for Martha

In 1944 the modern American ballet Appalachian Spring premiered at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The collaborators behind the performance anxiously awaited the critical response to their artistic achievement: would the world understand what they had done? In Ballet for Martha, the journey to this stage and the success shared among choreographer Martha Graham, composer Aaron Copland and artist Isamu Noguchi is expressively captured by acclaimed children's book authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. Together they tell the exceptional story of the collaborative efforts behind the creation of Appalachian Spring. Martha Graham, famous American dancer and pioneering choreographer, ignited the process with her innovative dance routines and desire to create a ballet that would represent America. With Martha's spirit and choreography in mind, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Aaron Copland built upon the melodies of an old Shaker hymn to create the original score. He titled it simply Ballet for Martha. Upon Martha's request, artist Isamu Noguchi created the stage design for the ballet, using a simple and angular style that reflected the movements of Martha's choreography. This story, first chronicled in the award-winning book, is now brought to life in an original audiobook production by Brilliance Audio. Acclaimed actress Sarah Jessica Parker captures the voices and emotions of Martha Graham, Aaron Copland, and Isamu Noguchi as they work together to produce the dance, score, and set of this beloved American ballet. Accompanying the narration is a full performance by the Seattle Symphony of the very score which fueled and inspired the ballet. Listeners will be delighted by the layered collaborations brought together in this audio production. From the three trail-blazing artists who labored to capture America through lyrical movement, lilting melody, and avant-garde design, to the literary, vocal, and orchestral talents of today, Ballet for Martha is a beautiful, musical journey for listeners of all ages.

Jan Greenberg, Sandra Jordan (Author), Sara Paretsky, Sarah Jessica Parker, Seattle Symphony, The Seattle Symphony Conducted By Gerard Schwarz (Narrator)

Audiobook

Balancing Rocks: In a small town in Germany, Sepp Bögle creates unusual art.

On the Jewish New Year an ancient horn calls out for a hopeful future.

Stacy Nyikos (Author), Highlights For Children (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bakers

Bakers make the world taste good! In this engaging children’s title, readers will learn how bakers mix ingredients and bake them into tasty treats. Leveled text appears alongside colorful photos to give readers an inside look at bakers at work. Special features introduce important baker skills and gear, while photo labels and a picture glossary highlight important words.

Rebecca Sabelko (Author), Dana Fleming (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bake Infinite Pie with X + Y

Aspiring bakers will embrace this charming picture book about baking pie by using simple math, from one of the world's most creative and celebrated mathematicians. X + Y are dreaming of baking infinite pie. But they don't know if infinite pie is real. With the help of quirky and uber-smart Aunt Z, and a whole lot of flour and butter, X and Y will learn that by using math they can bake their way to success! This charming and tasty story from mathematician and author of How to Bake Pi, Eugenia Cheng, reassures young readers that math doesn't have to be scary-especially when paired with pie! Additional back matter includes: a letter from Eugenia encouraging readers not to be intimidated by math, explanations of the math concepts explored in the book, and a recipe for Banana Butterscotch Pie!

Eugenia Cheng (Author), Kim Mai Guest (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bad News for Outlaws

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson received the Coretta Scott King Award for her children's book Almost to Freedom. Here she relays the extraordinary story of Bass Reeves, a lawman in the Old West who escaped slavery to become one of the most successful U.S. Marshals in history. 'Here, children can saddle up with a genuine Western hero in a narrative that hits the bull's-eye.''Kirkus Reviews

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Vaunda Nelson (Author), Kevin Free, Kevin R. Free (Narrator)

Audiobook