10/27/2014
Percy Jackson is your average teen guy who just happens to be the half-human son of the god Poseidon. Claiming that a publisher in New York asked him to give insights into the Greek gods, Percy tells listeners the Greek story of creation, then covers the lives and adventures of many of his “relatives.” Although this is sort of an encyclopedia and could be a dry listening experience—imagine reading informative essays for a dozen hours—having the snarky Percy relate these stories is a delight, as if a sarcastic teen cousin is telling funny and humiliating family stories. As mythology is packed with “lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism,” the stories are lively, and narrator Bernstein keeps pace with them. He portrays Percy with dry wit and slacker-dude tones, creating wonderfully campy voices for the Greek gods, mindful that he’s portraying Percy portraying these other characters. The male gods generally sound like dumb jock stereotypes while the females get whiny tones. As the myths are packed with action and melodrama, Bernstein cannot overact enough to fit the atrocities the gods commit. This is an entertaining, humorous, cheerful, and surprisingly informative audio book. Ages 10–up. A Disney-Hyperion hardcover. (Aug.)
Children’s author Rick Riordan has singlehandedly reintroduced the gods and goddesses—in all their faults and glories—to a younger generation, using humor and a half-mortal hero to draw readers into an incredible mythological world. Classical tales of heroes and villains are the basis of modern storytelling, and young readers adore Riordan’s funny, inviting rewrites. Here are the Riordan books every […]
Remember what it felt like to be a kid, discovering that one book that spoke to you above all others, the one you read again and again until the pages were dog-eared and ripped? What a perfect present to give your child this holiday season. To own a book is to possess all of the magic within it, and […]
Some older children love a good read; some enjoy ripping the paper off an exciting toy during the holidays; others love books and toys equally. Here are our picks for the “big kid” in your life.
Who doesn’t remember the childhood thrill of devouring book after book in a beloved series? The best thing about gifting eBooks to the little readers on your list is that when they’re done, the next one is just a few clicks away. NOOK Books make great instant gifts for kids—not always known for their patience. […]
The best young readers’ books of 2014 take bookworms to places near and far, opening their eyes to both the universal nature of their own experience and the uniqueness of people throughout the world. They include the hilarious adventures of Greg Heffley and his family on a road trip gone wrong in Jeff Kinney’s The Long Haul, the heartfelt and humorous story of sibling relationships in Raina Telgemeier’s Sisters, and the personal portrait of a young woman who dared to make a difference in I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai.