Welcome to our new series, Audible with Amy and Friends!
Each Tuesday in May, our Education Partnerships Manager Amy Franks will select one free Audible audiobook and share her review along with a special guest kid listener. (As it turns out, Amy’s cat Fancy is also a fan of audiobooks — so she actually has TWO special guests!) This week’s guest kid listener is Annie, a nine-year-old third grader.
This week’s recommendation:
Viva Durant and the Secret of the Silver Buttons Author: Ashli St. Armant Narrator: Bahni Turpin Length: 4 hours 5 minutes Suggested age: Tween (but good for the whole family)
Synopsis: Viva Durant, New Orleans’ youngest detective, is on a quest to solve a jazzy mystery involving hidden treasure, while exploring the city’s unique culture, history, and music. This family-friendly audio original features original jazz music from the creator, Ashli St. Armant, and an enthusiastic performance from Audible Hall of Fame narrator, Bahni Turpin.
Amy says:
As you follow quirky, curious Viva in this nicely paced, well-told mystery, you will be immediately pulled into her story, into her life. Having grown up right next door to my grandmother, I really appreciated that Viva’s story wasn’t just about solving the mystery, but about her relationship with her grandmother and how it changes throughout the book. Not only do we learn about Viva and Gram, we also learn a little about New Orleans. Some of the best things about this book are the way the music and sound effects are woven in, making you feel like you’re right there in the middle of the action, hearing the horns of the jazz bands and almost tasting the powdered sugar on the beignets. No matter who is listening — kids, parents, grandparents, or even the family pet — this book has something for everyone!
Annie says:
This book is about how a 14 year old girl by the name of Viva goes to visit her grandmother by herself for the first time and she finds a mystery she has to solve! I think this is a great book! It is good for all ages and is right up my alley with all the mysterious stuff in it. Parts of it are fun, parts of it are spooky, and the whole book is mysterious! I????????????this book! It is exciting, funny historical fiction, and anyone who loves a good mystery will love this book!
Kid listener rating:
