Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick
This is an especially timely book; Texas and Florida are still reeling from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Zane and the Hurricane captures many of the difficult situations that people face before, during and after a hurricane. Zane Dupree travels from New Hampshire to New Orleans to get to know his great-grandmother and to see where
Crow by Barbara Wright
I did say I was presenting only one book per state, but once I listened to Crow I knew I had to include it as well. Crow tells the story of the only successful coup d’état in US history; the only time a non-elected group overthrew a legally elected government. Eleven-year-old Moses lives in a
The Lawyer by John Ellsworth – Promising but Falls Short
The Lawyer by John Ellsworth is a legal thriller that takes place in Chicago and features a criminal attorney, Michael Gresham, who ends up being played by one of his clients. The story has a few unexpected twists and Michael negotiates his relationship with his ex-wife, the people he is defending, the FBI, a Mexican cartel,
Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper
*Stella Mills’ character is loosely based on the author’s grandmother who grew up in a small, segregated African-American town similar to the fictional town of Bumblebee. Like the protagonist in the story, Sharon Draper’s grandmother enjoyed writing by moonlight. Narrator Heather Alicia Simms’s rich and expressive voice is a perfect match for Stella by Starlight.
Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
There are so many good audiobooks that take place in historical Florida! Many of the books I’ve listened to so far are serious in tone and deal with important but tough issues. This laugh-out-loud book was a nice change of pace. Note: Full of Beans is a prequel to Jennifer Holm’s Newbery Honor book Turtle
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
The Birchbark House is the first in a 5 book series written by master storyteller Louise Erdrich and inspired by her own family’s history. The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich follows 7-year-old Omakayas and her family throughout a calendar year, season by season. We meet Nokomis, her beloved grandmother; Deyday, her father who is a
Unbound: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg
Many books about slavery mention the Underground Railroad as an aid to helping slaves reach the northern states which had abolished slavery. Unbound is interesting since it focuses on people who escaped slavery but who did not make it to the north. In doing research for her novel, Ann Burg referenced Born in Slavery: Slave
Countdown by Deborah Wiles
The audiobook Countdown by Deborah Wiles is amazing! It includes actual radio and television news clips, snippets of popular songs, and excerpts from famous speeches. Realistic sound effects have been added to really bring the story to life. This was the second book I listened to for the Audiobook Tour. Countdown, the first book in the
Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac
This is the first audiobook I listened to for the Audiobook Tour of US History project and I highly recommend it! I learned a lot and Joseph Bruchac did an excellent job of narrating his book. I’m definitely interested in reading more by this prolific author. Talking Leaves is the fictionalized story of Uwohali and
Cold Fear by Rick Mofina
I listened to the audio version of Cold Fear by Rick Mofina. It was narrated by Christian Rummel, who did a great job. Emily Baker takes her 10-year-old daughter Paige, Paige’s dog, and her husband Doug to a remote part of the Rockies. She has been in therapy and has been unable to tell her
The Queen’s Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler
I listened to the audiobook version of The Queen’s Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler, read by Kate Rudd. The story opens with the Duke of Kiskaddon returning home from battle. His side was victorious, but there was a small problem, or rather a major problem. At a crucial point in the battle, when it looked like they
The Line by Bob Mayer
The Line by Bob Mayer was a fun read, or rather I should say listen. I listened to the audio version of the book on my phone. From the beginning, I was hooked. It is a military thriller and the writing and use of military jargon made it seem authentic. The story is about two