beTWEEN Talks

Chester Keene Cracks the Code

By: Kekla Magoon
Narrated by: Elijah Boothe
Length: 6 hours 37 minutes

Cracking the code isn't all it's cracked up to be in this scavenger hunt adventure from a Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author.

“Delivers a truly fresh mystery — along with a heist, some heartbreak, some unforgettable characters and plenty of laser tag.” —The New York Times Book Review

Chester Keene takes great comfort in his routines.... Read more

Be Real, Macy Weaver

By: Lakita Wilson
Narrated by: Arischa Conner
Length: 8 hours 32 minutes

A humorous, heartfelt, and fashion-filled contemporary novel about Macy Weaver, a young girl struggling with how to be her true self and make a best friend. Perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington and Stand Up, Yumi Chung.

Eleven-year-old Macy Weaver knows relationships are complicated. Fresh off her latest friendship breakup, she’s... Read more

Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Toeshoe Trouble

Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Book #2

By: Whoopi Goldberg & Deborah Underwood
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Length: 2 hours 13 minutes

The second book of the award-winning and bestselling Sugar Plum Ballerinas series by Whoopi Goldberg—now featuring brand-new illustrations! At the Nutcracker School of Ballet in Harlem, young dancers learn to chassé, plié, and jeté with their Sugar Plum Sisters—but things don't always go to plan! As the girls encounter challenges both on and off... Read more

Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun

Onyeka

By: Tolá Okogwu
Narrated by: Nneka Okoye
Length: 7 hours 37 minutes

NAMED A 2023 ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN’S RECORDING!

Black Panther meets X-Men in this “fast-paced, action-packed, and empowering” (A. F. Steadman, New York Times bestselling author of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief) middle grade adventure about a British Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers—perfect for fans of Amari and... Read more

Caprice

By: Coe Booth
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Length: 7 hours 17 minutes

From the groundbreaking author of Tyrell, an astonishing middle-grade novel about a girl overcoming the secrets and abuse of her past.This should be an exciting time for Caprice. She has been offered a place at the school of her dreams, where she's just had a fantastic summer. But this great opportunity coincides with a lot of internal doubt and... Read more

The Marvellers

The Conjureverse Series: Book #1

By: Dhonielle Clayton
Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Length: 10 hours 48 minutes

Dhonielle Clayton makes her middle-grade debut with a fantasy adventure set in a global magic school in the sky —an instant New York Times and #1 Indie Bestseller!

"The Marvellers deserves the highest compliment I can give a book: I want to live in this world." —Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling–author

"Listeners will enjoy this fresh... Read more

Simon B. Rhymin' Takes a Stand

Simon B. Rhymin’: Book #2

By: Dwayne Reed
Narrated by: Dwayne Reed
Length: 3 hours 26 minutes

This humorous and heartwarming sequel to Simon B. Rhymin' follows a young rapper navigating the inequality and injustice within his school and community.Eleven-year-old Simon and his friends are disappointed with the lack of funding at Booker T. Washington School—there’s no AC, only one space for school activities, and the money for... Read more

Unfadeable

By: Maurice Broaddus
Narrated by: Jordan Cobb
Length: 6 hours 8 minutes

A Washington Post KidsPost Summer Book Club Pick!Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Kelly Yang, readers will love this heartfelt and genuine story about building community, finding family, and the power of Black girl magic. Bella “Unfadeable” Fades is determined to stay out of trouble. A wiser-than-her-years graffiti artist known for tagging... Read more

Evicted!

The Struggle for the Right to Vote

By: Alice Faye Duncan
Narrated by: Kim Staunton
Length: 56 minutes

Black hands in Fayette County, Tennessee, were free to pick cotton and corn but were barred from casting ballots. A whirlwind of change blew through the county when Black landowners like John McFerren and Harpman Jameson organized
registration drives to help Black citizens vote—but not without violent attempts to stop it. White farmers evicted... Read more

It's The End of the World and I'm In My Bathing Suit

By: Justin A. Reynolds
Narrated by: Nile Bullock
Length: 5 hours 42 minutes

A hilarious new middle-grade from Justin A. Reynolds that asks: What happens when five unsupervised kids face the apocalypseunder outrageously silly circumstances?Twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway has concocted his most genius plan ever to avoid chores... especially the dreaded L-A-UN-D-R-Y. If he can wear all the clothes he owns, he'll only... Read more

Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa

Pilar Ramirez Duology: Book #1

By: Julian Randall
Narrated by: Amanda Alcántara
Length: 7 hours 10 minutes

The Land of Stories meets Dominican myths and legends come to life in Pilar Ramirez and the Prison of Zafa, a blockbuster contemporary middle-grade fantasy duology starter from Julian Randall. Fans of Tristan Strong and The Storm Runner, here is your next obsession.

"Abreathtaking journey . . . readers better hold on tight." ―Kwame Mbalia, New... Read more

Just Right Jillian

By: Nicole D. Collier
Narrated by: Imani Parks
Length: TBA

In this heartfelt middle grade novel from debut author Nicole D. Collier, fifth grader Jillian must learn to speak and break free of her shell to enter her school's academic competition and keep her promise to her grandmother. Fifth grader Jillian will do just about anything to blend in, including staying quiet even when she has the right... Read more

Freewater

By: Amina Luqman-Dawson
Narrated by: Cary Hite & Sisi Aisha Johnson
Length: 9 hours 41 minutes

Debut author Amina Luqman-Dawson pens a lyrical, accessible historical middle-grade novel about two enslaved children’s escape from a plantation and the many ways they find freedom.

Under the cover of night, twelve-year-old Homer flees Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, unwillingly leaving their beloved mother behind. Much as he... Read more

A Comb of Wishes

By: Lisa Stringfellow
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Length: 5 hours 31 minutes

Set against the backdrop of Caribbean folklore, Lisa Stringfellow’s spellbinding middle grade debut tells of a grieving girl and a vengeful mermaid and will enchant readers who loved Kacen Callender’s Hurricane Child or Christian McKay Heidicker’s Scary Stories for Young Foxes. Ever since her mother’s death, Kela feels every bit as broken as the... Read more

The Girl in the Lake

By: India Hill Brown
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Length: 4 hours 33 minutes

In the tradition of Wait Till Helen Comes, another truly chilling (and historically inspired) ghost story from the talentedauthor of The Forgotten Girl.Celeste knows she should be excited to spend two weeks at her grandparents' lake house with her brother, Owen, and theircousins Capri and Daisy, but she's not.Bugs, bad cell reception, and the... Read more

Escaping Exodus: Symbiosis

A Novel

By: Nicky Drayden
Narrated by: Staci Mitchell & James Fouhey
Length: 10 hours 21 minutes

The Compton Crook Award-winning author weaves her trademark blend of science fiction and dark humor in this dazzling story that continues the imaginative saga begun in Escaping Exodus, in which a society lives in the belly of a beast—and an entire civilization's survival depends on a pair of uneasy allies who must come together for one epic... Read more

Hoops to Hippos!

True Stories of a Basketball Star on Safari

By: Boris Diaw & Kitson Jazynka
Narrated by: Rachel Music
Length: 55 minutes

Incredible stories about animals and the people who love them
When it comes to basketball star Boris Diaw, there is definitely more than meets the
eye! He may be known for shooting hoops on the court, but he is also passionate about
shooting photos of wild animals. In Hoops to Hippos!, you’ll join Boris on four wildlife
adventures—on safari in... Read more

Miles Morales

Spider-Man

By: Jason Reynolds
Narrated by: Guy Lockard
Length: 6 hours 52 minutes

"Everyone gets mad at hustlers, especially if you're on the victim side of the hustle. And Miles knew hustling was in his veins."

Miles Morales is just your average teenager. Dinner every Sunday with his parents, chilling out playing old-school video games with his best friend, Ganke, crushing on brainy, beautiful poet Alicia. He's even got a... Read more