Found Sound

De: Meg Wolitzer, Charlie Panek

Narrado por: Jeff Ebner

A sound-inspired scavenger hunt and fast-paced mystery about family and friendships lost and found.

“A harmonious blend of STEM intrigue and heartfelt emotion that emphasizes listening closely to what really matters.” —Kirkus, starred review

Felix used to love summer vacation, when his family would trade the bustling noise of New York City for the small-town quiet of Blissfield, Massachusetts. But vacation hasn’t been the same since his big brother left home, and Felix is sure this summer is going to be the worst yet. Then he finds a mysterious box with the words OPEN ME written on the outside. Inside, there’s an audio recorder, headphones, and a list of timecodes. What does it mean?

Felix and his offbeat neighbor, Marigold, follow a string of clues through town. But as the hunt builds to a crescendo, Felix begins to wonder about the identity of the anony­mous puzzle-maker behind their adventure.

This delightfully harmonious mother-son collabora­tion from bestselling author Meg Wolitzer and sound editor and music producer Charlie Panek will change the way you listen to the world

Reseñas de la Crítica

★ “Wolitzer and Panek construct a genuinely original premise, weaving acoustic phenomena into both plot mechanics and emotional architecture . . . A harmonious blend of STEM intrigue and heartfelt emotion that emphasizes listening closely to what really matters.” —Kirkus, starred review

★ “Mother-son duo Wolitzer and Panek team up to illustrate how found music (the unexpected ordinary noise that makes up the humdrum of daily life) can empower individuals and boost creativity. . . A scavenger hunt adventure that is loving and tenderhearted.” —School Library Journal, starred review

★ “Flowing as seamlessly as a favorite song and leaving readers listening to the world around them differently, this is a written book for an audio age—exciting and innovative, yet still a realistic and heartfelt tale. Recommend this sensory story to fans of Rebecca Stead and scavenger hunt stories with a twist.” —Booklist, starred review

“Both an affectionate ode to the textures of everyday sound and a sensorial adventure, this freewheeling novel seamlessly integrates lessons in recording, remixing, and engineering, lending the mystery an accessible STEAM sheen.” —Publishers Weekly (currently posted)

“A scavenger-hunt like plot that takes readers on a journey of sound . . . Hand this to any kid who loves music, sound, or games and is looking for a fun adventure that may inspire their own summer scavenger hunt or found sound project.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Great Story, Terrible Narration

I love Meg Wollitzer’s work and this story about an auditory scavenger hunt was engaging. But I was put off by the narrator, who’s cadence and inflection lends an overly simplistic sensibility to the story and the characters. The way the story is read makes the characters sound developmentally delayed. That’s too bad, because I don’t think that’s the authors’ intention. This book might come off better if it’s read in the actual hardcopy, versus an audiobook. I wish publishers would invest in professional actors, it makes a big difference.