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Sign up todayThe Eyes and the Impossible
(Newbery Medal Winner)
Narrator
Ethan Hawke
This audiobook uses AI narration.
We’re taking steps to make sure AI narration is transparent.
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Length
5 hours 18 minutes
Language
English
Bookseller recommendation
“You will have a hard time finding a more joyous listening experience this summer than indulging in Ethan Hawke's inspired performance of Dave Egger's touching new novel, The Eyes and the Impossible. Told from the point of view of a wild dog in an urban park, this story of friendship is truly a story that readers and listeners of all ages will delight in. ”
— Robert • Third Place Books
Bookseller recommendation
“Narrated by Ethan Hawke, this story gives you an inside look at the thoughts of Johannes, who is a very loveable dog. Wonderful, tender, creative, and sweet! ”
— Carter • Maria's Bookshop
Bookseller recommendation
“Newbery? I think it’s got a good chance. Great to read and the audiobook is even better. ”
— Rachael • Bright Side Bookshop
Bookseller recommendation
“I think would have loved the bold, beautiful, triumphant story of Johannes the dog even if I had read it on paper, but nothing could be better than hearing it read by narrator Ethan Hawke. A virtuoso performance - pure audiobook perfection. ”
— Emilie • East City Bookshop
From the award-winning author of The Every comes an endearing story of a dog who unwittingly becomes a hero to a park full of animals.
Johannes, a free dog, lives in an urban park by the sea. His job is to be the Eyes—to see everything that happens within the park and report back to the park’s elders, three ancient Bison. His friends—a seagull, a raccoon, a squirrel, and a pelican—work with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and other animals who share the park and making sure the Equilibrium is in balance.
But changes are afoot. More humans, including Trouble Travelers, arrive in the park. A new building, containing mysterious and hypnotic rectangles, goes up. And then there are the goats—an actual boatload of goats—who appear, along with a shocking revelation that changes Johannes’s view of the world.
A story about friendship, beauty, liberation, and running very, very fast, The Eyes & the Impossible will make listeners of all ages see the world around them in a wholly new way.
Dave Eggers is the author of the Newbery Medal winner The Eyes and the Impossible, along with bestsellers The Every, The Monk of Mokha, The Circle, A Hologram for the King, and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. His work has been nominated for the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. He is the founder of McSweeney’s, an independent publishing company based in San Francisco, and cofounder of 826 National, a network of educational centers around the country offering free tutoring to kids of all backgrounds.
He lives in Northern California with his family.
Shawn Harris is the author/illustrator of Have You Ever Seen a Flower?, which won a Caldecott Honor Award. He is the illustrator of Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, which received seven starred reviews, was an Orbis Pictus Award Honor Book, an ALA Notable, and a PW Best Book of the Year. His other picture books include Eggers's What Can a Citizen Do (a Time Magazine Best Children's Book), Everyone's Awake by Colin Meloy, and A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett.
Shawn got his start as an illustrator in the early 2000s, creating album art for bands, including his own, the Matches. He lives in Northern California and enjoys surfing.
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Reviews
"Johannes is a highly engaging narrator whose exuberance and good nature run like a bright thread through the novel’s pages…. There is a deeper story here, too, about being yourself and finding freedom." —New York Times“[Johannes is] one of the most appealing heroes in recent children’s literature... an early standout for 2023 and, as it happens, a lot of fun to read aloud.” —The Wall Street Journal
“This outstanding adventure story weaves complex thoughts about loyalty, friendship, and purpose into an epic escape plot that's pure bliss to read.” —Common Sense Media
“This book is begging to be read aloud to oneself and to others. You’ll want to use your most special bookmark and find an honored place to keep this gem.” —The Denver Post
★ “Utterly delightful…. Eggers touches on deep topics with a light hand, effortlessly building suspense and a wonderful sense of adventure.” —Booklist, starred review
★ "One remarkable creature vividly shows readers that ‘there is so, so much to see.’” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “Eggers crafts a marvelous, fully fleshed protagonist in Johannes....whose compassionate narration delivers a rousing tale of community, joyful self-reliance, and the pleasures of running very, very fast.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ "Animal lovers will be enthralled, and even for readers who mostly stick with humans, this is a standout example of the power of chosen family rather than biological ones." —The Bulletin, starred review
★ “The Eyes and the Impossible is compelling and heartfelt, destined to be read again and again.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review
★ “Almost proselike, the voices and personalities of Johannes and his comrades are endearing; their unique story will enchant readers and encourage them to focus on what is most important in life.” —School Library Journal, starred review Expand reviews
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