I'm not sure
how it happened, but most of what I’ve listened to lately has had kindness as a major theme. Kindness to classmates. Kindness to animals. Kindness of families. (See A Drop of Hope, Song for a Whale, and A Bear Called Paddington respectively.) Even though I haven’t specifically sought them out, I’m really glad these listens about kindness have been crossing my path. But what do I do with this slew of uplifting stories?Well, I’m taking them to heart, looking for more opportunities to be kind, and trying to notice when others are being kind, too. I saw volunteers taking shelter dogs for daily strolls in my neighborhood. I helped an elderly man walk to his bus stop. A kid at the store went running through the snow to return a bag someone left behind. Moments of kindness happen all the time—we just need to keep our eyes open and do our part to keep the ripples of kindness going.
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A Drop of Hope
- By: Keith Calabrese
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Story5 out of 5 stars 24
Times are tough. Jobs are scarce, and miracles are in short supply. But something strange is happening in If Only, Ohio. An old well has suddenly, impossibly, begun to grant wishes. And three sixth graders are the only ones who know why. Ernest Wilmette believes a good deed makes magic happen. Ryan Hardy thinks they should just mind their own business. Lizzy MacComber believes in facts, not fairy tales. Of course, you don't have to believe in wishes to make one. As more wishes are made, the well's true secret gets harder and harder to keep.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great story for kids and adults alike!
- By Karen C. on 01-11-21
A well. A wish. A drop of hope.
There’s not a lot of hope left in the small town of Cliffs Donnelly. If the local plant closes, scarce jobs will become even harder to find and everyone is worried. But a quiet wish whispered into a dry well starts a ripple of kindness—and hope starts traveling beyond the few sixth graders at the center of A Drop of Hope. Once you listen to this magical story, you’ll be inspired to spread kindness in your own corner of the world. (Wishing well not required.)
#SpreadHope
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Harbor Me
- By: Jacqueline Woodson
- Narrated by: N'Jameh Camara, Jacqueline Woodson, Toshi Widoff-Woodson, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 257
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 219
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 220
Jacqueline Woodson's first middle-grade novel since National Book Award winner Brown Girl Dreaming celebrates the healing that can occur when a group of students share their stories. It all starts when six kids have to meet for a weekly chat—by themselves, with no adults to listen in. There, in the room they soon dub the ARTT Room (short for "A Room to Talk"), they discover it's safe to talk about what's bothering them—everything from Esteban's father's deportation and Haley's father's incarceration to Amari's fears of racial profiling and Ashton's adjustment to his changing family fortunes.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Woodson never disappoints.
- By Kindle Customer on 06-07-20
Black history listens for every month
I try to make sure my listening is diverse every month—and Black History Month gives me a chance to recommit to that goal every year. Lately I’ve been inspired by contemporary fiction (don’t miss Harbor Me) and fascinating biographies (do you know the story of the Super Soaker?). This year has had some truly inspiring listens—and it seems like every day something else gets added to my TBLT (To Be Listened To) List!
Find a New Listen
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- By: Marvel Press
- Narrated by: Cary Hite
- Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 210
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 169
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 167
In this full retelling of the upcoming film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, listeners are introduced to Brooklyn teen Miles Morales as he juggles his normal high school life with the infinite possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Into the Spider-Verse was great
- By tammy on 01-26-19
From screen to speakers
If a snow day means a day with Netflix for your kids, there’s a good chance that you found out the Parrs are still Incredibles, learned some tips on How to Train Your Dragon, and visited a galaxy far, far away. Have you thought about reliving all those on-screen magic moments off-screen? In fact, why not choose an audiobook, dig out the LEGOs, find your action figures, and build your own play dough aliens while you listen along and act out the fun as a family!
Grab the Popcorn
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Under Pressure
- Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls
- By: Lisa Damour
- Narrated by: Lisa Damour
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 759
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 644
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Story5 out of 5 stars 631
The New York Times best-selling author of Untangled presents an urgently needed guide to the alarming increase in anxiety and stress experienced by girls from elementary school through college.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Everyone should read/listen to this book.
- By Amazon Customer on 03-10-19
Ease the pressure
While the overall number of people diagnosed with anxiety and stress has increased in recent years, the diagnosis has skyrocketed among girls and young women. Understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy stress and anxiety is hard, and it’s important for adults—whether parents, teachers, or mentors—to help girls figure it out. Listening to Under Pressure feels like sitting down for a helpful, reassuring conversation with an expert.
Help Your Girl
Coming Soon
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No More Poems!
- A Book in Verse That Just Gets Worse
- By: Rhett Miller
- Narrated by: Nick Offerman
- Length: 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 14
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14
In the tradition of Shel Silverstein, these poems bring a fresh new twist to the classic dilemmas of childhood as well as a perceptive eye to the foibles of modern family life. Full of clever wordplay - and toilet humor to spare - these 23 rhyming poems make for an ideal listening experience. Taking on the subjects of a bullying baseball coach and annoying little brothers with equally sly humor, renowned lyricist Rhett Miller's clever verses will have the whole family cackling.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fun, entertaining for our 9yo twins and us!
- By Mark Dammert on 03-06-19
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How High the Moon
- By: Karyn Parsons
- Narrated by: Karyn Parsons, Sisi Aisha Johnson
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
In the small town of Alcolu, South Carolina, in 1944, 12-year-old Ella spends her days fishing and running around with her best friend Henry and cousin Myrna. But life is not always so sunny for Ella, who gets bullied for her light skin tone, and whose mother is away pursuing a jazz singer dream in Boston. So Ella is ecstatic when her mother invites her to visit for Christmas. Little does she expect the truths she will discover about her mother, the father she never knew, and her family's most unlikely history.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing Story, Terrific Voice Artist
- By Blakeney on 06-08-21
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Sal and Gabi Break the Universe
- By: Carlos Hernandez
- Narrated by: Anthony Rey Perez
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 220
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 183
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 182
In order to heal after his mother's death, Sal learned how to meditate. But no one expected him to be able to take it further and "relax" things into existence. Turns out he can reach into time and space to retrieve things from other universes - even his mom! He has promised his dad and stepmom that he won't bring back his mother anymore (it causes marital tension), but sometimes, he can't help himself. Sal doesn't talk about his ability with anyone. But when he meets Gabi, the student council president and editor of the school paper, he realizes she is someone with whom he can work.
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5 out of 5 stars
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If You Love Juvenile Fiction You Must Listen!
- By Jenna Roberts on 06-29-19
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Doctor Who: Thirteen Doctors 13 Stories
- By: Naomi Alderman, Malorie Blackman, Holly Black, and others
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 82
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 82
A new version of this much-loved anthology, with a brand-new story featuring the brand-new Thirteenth Doctor from literary sensation Naomi Alderman! Twelve wonderful tales of adventure, science, magic, monsters and time travel - featuring all 12 Doctors - are waiting for you in this very special Doctor Who audiobook.
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4 out of 5 stars
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This book is misleading...
- By Sean on 10-09-19
-
No More Poems!
- A Book in Verse That Just Gets Worse
- By: Rhett Miller
- Narrated by: Nick Offerman
- Length: 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14
In the tradition of Shel Silverstein, these poems bring a fresh new twist to the classic dilemmas of childhood as well as a perceptive eye to the foibles of modern family life. Full of clever wordplay - and toilet humor to spare - these 23 rhyming poems make for an ideal listening experience. Taking on the subjects of a bullying baseball coach and annoying little brothers with equally sly humor, renowned lyricist Rhett Miller's clever verses will have the whole family cackling.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fun, entertaining for our 9yo twins and us!
- By Mark Dammert on 03-06-19
-
How High the Moon
- By: Karyn Parsons
- Narrated by: Karyn Parsons, Sisi Aisha Johnson
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
In the small town of Alcolu, South Carolina, in 1944, 12-year-old Ella spends her days fishing and running around with her best friend Henry and cousin Myrna. But life is not always so sunny for Ella, who gets bullied for her light skin tone, and whose mother is away pursuing a jazz singer dream in Boston. So Ella is ecstatic when her mother invites her to visit for Christmas. Little does she expect the truths she will discover about her mother, the father she never knew, and her family's most unlikely history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing Story, Terrific Voice Artist
- By Blakeney on 06-08-21
-
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe
- By: Carlos Hernandez
- Narrated by: Anthony Rey Perez
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 220
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 183
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 182
In order to heal after his mother's death, Sal learned how to meditate. But no one expected him to be able to take it further and "relax" things into existence. Turns out he can reach into time and space to retrieve things from other universes - even his mom! He has promised his dad and stepmom that he won't bring back his mother anymore (it causes marital tension), but sometimes, he can't help himself. Sal doesn't talk about his ability with anyone. But when he meets Gabi, the student council president and editor of the school paper, he realizes she is someone with whom he can work.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
If You Love Juvenile Fiction You Must Listen!
- By Jenna Roberts on 06-29-19
-
Doctor Who: Thirteen Doctors 13 Stories
- By: Naomi Alderman, Malorie Blackman, Holly Black, and others
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 82
A new version of this much-loved anthology, with a brand-new story featuring the brand-new Thirteenth Doctor from literary sensation Naomi Alderman! Twelve wonderful tales of adventure, science, magic, monsters and time travel - featuring all 12 Doctors - are waiting for you in this very special Doctor Who audiobook.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
This book is misleading...
- By Sean on 10-09-19