It’s a battle of wits and literary knowledge when Kyle Keeley and his friends find themselves in a futuristic library filled with avatars and holograms. Narrator Jesse Bernstein’s youthful voice captures the personalities of the young contestants who must discover clues to escaping the library and winning the grand prize. Though the librarian’s Russian accent is somewhat flimsy, Bernstein’s articulate and carefully modulated voice reveals the outrageous moments in the game show-esque atmosphere without taking away from the children’s earnestness, or the lessons about team playing and character building. The wealth of literary and game-show references may not be understood by all children; however, Bernstein’s engaging performance may inspire listeners to check out some of the titles mentioned. M.F. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Don’t get me wrong. I would still read stuff. I bought every Peanuts paperback book ever printed and subscribed to Mad magazine. You know, stuff teachers considered garbage. It wasn’t until my mother told me to read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that I realized not all books are boring. Like my buddy James Patterson […]
All kids can appreciate a good laugh (in fact, all people can appreciate a good laugh). Laughter is the spark of excitement, and kids especially want that spark. And luckily, we can find humor in everything, from realistic stories, to thrilling adventures, to magical fantasies. Some of the most popular middle grade books on the […]
Ever wondered what your kiddos should read next after finishing one of James Patterson’s awesome books? Well, who better to ask than the bestselling author himself? We got the chance to pose some of our most burning questions about Patterson’s creative process and what books by other authors he recommends to his fans. His latest […]
If you ask me, when it comes to Fun-In-The-Sun summer reading, nothing beats a great mystery. When you’re reading a mystery—like my Welcome to Wonderland or Lemoncello Library books—you get to play along with the characters in the stories. In fact, you might be able to piece together the clues and come up with the solution before […]
Summer is winding down, but that doesn’t mean that your family’s reading should be. There’s still plenty of long sunny days of lounging around with books and a cold beverage, so take full advantage of them before everyone’s schedules are packed with school and extracurriculars. Looking for ways to make more time for reading during […]