Jesse Bernstein has narrated 46 audiobooks on Listento.it by 43 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.6★ across 3,441 ratings. The most-rated is The Lightning Thief.
Ms. Bixby's Last Day
Summary
John David Anderson, author of Sidekicked and The Dungeoneers, returns with a funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking contemporary story about three boys, one teacher, and a day none of them will ever forget. Everyone knows there are different kinds of teachers. The boring ones, the mean ones, the ones who try too hard, the ones who stopped trying long ago. The ones you'll never remember and the ones you want to forget. Ms. Bixby is none of these. She's the sort of teacher who makes you feel like school is somehow worthwhile. Who recognizes something in you that sometimes you don't even see in yourself. Who you never want to disappoint. What Ms. Bixby is is one of a kind. Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she won't be able to finish the school year, they come up with a risky plan - more of a quest, really - to give Ms. Bixby the last day she deserves. Through the three very different stories they tell, we begin to understand what Ms. Bixby means to each of them - and what the three of them mean to each other.
©2016 John David Anderson (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers
St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Summary
A dazzling debut, a blazingly original voice: the 10 stories in St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves introduce a radiant new talent. In the collection's title story, a pack of girls raised by wolves are painstakingly reeducated by nuns. In "Haunting Olivia", two young boys make midnight trips to a boat graveyard in search of their dead sister, who set sail in the exoskeleton of a giant crab. In "Sleepaway Camp for Disordered Dreamers", a boy whose dreams foretell implacable tragedies is sent to a summer camp for troubled sleepers (Cabin 1, Narcoleptics; Cabin 2, Sleep Apneics; Cabin 3, Somnambulists . . . ). "And Ava Wrestles the Alligator" introduces the remarkable Bigtree Wrestling Dynasty: Grandpa Sawtooth, Chief Bigtree, and 12-year-old Ava, proprietors of Swamplandia!, the island's number-one Gator Theme Park and Cafe, Ava is still mourning her mother when her father disappears, his final words to her the swamp maxim "Feed the gators, don't talk to strangers." Left to look after 70 incubating alligators and an older sister who may or may not be having sex with a succubus, Ava meets the Bird Man, and learns that when you're a kid it's often hard to tell the innocuous secrets from the ones that will kill you if you keep them. Russell's stories are beautifully written and exuberantly imagined, but it is the emotional precision behind their wondrous surfaces that makes them unforgettable. Magically, from the spiritual wilderness and ghostly swamps of the Florida Everglades, against a backdrop of ancient lizards and disconcertingly lush plant life, in an idiom that is as arrestingly lovely as it is surreal, Karen Russell shows us who we are and how we live. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2007 Karen Russell (P)2010 Random House
Guys Read: Other Worlds
Summary
A challenging labor for a teenage demigod... A world in which shoes shall no longer be trod upon... A scouting trip that turns deadly... Welcome to Other Worlds, the fourth volume in the Guys Read Library. Prepare yourself for 10 trips into the unknown, as 10 of your favorite writers spin tales of fantasy and science fiction the likes of which you have never imagined. Compiled by National Ambassador for Children's Literature (and Secret Ambassador for the Intergalactic Alliance) Jon Scieszka, Guys Read: Other Worlds is the most exciting collection of stories on this - or any other - planet.
©2013 Jon Scieszka (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers
From Percy Jackson: Camp Half-Blood Confidential
Summary
In response to an awful camp orientation video created by the god Apollo, Percy Jackson and other residents of Camp Half-Blood answer such questions as "what is this place?" and "do I get to keep the T-shirt?" Newbies can check out the section on the divine cabins, learn about magical landmarks, and consult the chapter on training arenas.
But Camp Half-Blood Confidential explores much more than just the buildings and grounds. It includes info that can be learned only from those who live there. For instance, campers do not always coexist in peace and harmony. The camp is not run with superior efficiency. Prophecies do not flow forth with great regularity. Sprinkled throughout are stories from heroes who have called Camp Half-Blood home or just passed through on their way to places unknown. Chiron himself introduces the book with a brief history of training based on his millennia of experience. And, of course, there are divine words of wisdom from the god Apollo himself, because...well, because the demigod authors would prefer not to be struck down, thank you very much.
©2017 Rick Riordan (P)2017 Listening Library
Liar & Spy
Summary
When seventh grader Georges (the S is silent) moves into a Brooklyn apartment building, he meets Safer, a 12-year-old coffee-drinking loner and self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: how far is too far to go for your only friend? Liar & Spy is an inspired, often-funny story about destiny, goofy brilliance, and courage. Like Stead's Newbery Medal-winning When You Reach Me, it will keep readers guessing until the end.
©2012 Rebecca Stead (P)2012 Listening Library
Different Mothers
Summary
Ranging in age from six to 40, 38 sons and daughters of lesbians offer brief essays that could be valuable to like offspring, as well as to relatives and friends trying to understand the problems such children face. Homophobia, visited upon the children as well as their mothers, is the most commonly cited concern; some younger contributors feel isolated from their peers, and a couple of boys endure rejection from radical lesbian acquaintances. Despite such difficulties, many contributors enjoy close relationships with their mothers and are happy in their unconventional homes. For older children, their own sexual orientation is an issue, and there is occasional resentment engendered by a parent's coming out - "Growing up is a hard enough thing to do," says one young woman. Rafkin edited Different Daughters: A Book by Mothers of Lesbians.
©1990 Louise Rafkin (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
Guinea Dog Collection: Books 1-3
Summary
Guinea Dog: Rufus has been dreaming of getting a dog. His best friend has one. His worst friend has one. But his dad has a few objections: They whine. They gnaw. They bark. They scratch. They beg. They drool. Rufus pays no attention when his mom offers her think-outside-the-box suggestion, because she can't be serious. She can't be. She can be. And she actually comes home with a guinea pig. And if Rufus's dad thinks dogs are a problem, he won't know what hit him when he meets the Guinea Pig that thinks she's a dog. She barks. She bites. She'll eat your homework. Guinea Dog 2: When his classmates learn about Fido, the guinea pig that acts like a dog, they all want a piece of Rufus, her owner. But Rufus hates the attention, the demands, the "celebrity." So he decides to make Fido learn how to be an actual guinea pig. But when she goes missing, he feels terrible. Was she lost, "dognapped," or did she run away, because he no longer liked her just the way she was? Offering the same offbeat humor and pacing of the first Guinea Dog, this novel will prove to be a listener's best friend. Guinea Dog 3: When Rufus, Murphy, Lurena, and their pets go camping, they meet Pedro, a shy boy who seems afraid of just about everything - especially the water. One thing leads to another and the kids go into a nearby town to buy him a pet to cheer him up - a guinea pig, naturally. Yet what they bring home may look like a guinea pig, but it can swim - like an otter! Guinea Dog has appeared not only on many state lists, but on county and school district lists as well. Here are just some of its appearances: Hawaii NeNe Award Nominee, Washington State Sasquatch Award Nominee, Massachusetts Children's Book Award Honor, Florida Sunshine State Master List, Kansas Winner of the William Allen White Award and Colorado Children's Book Award Nominee.
©2014 Patrick Jennings (P)2014 Listening Library
No Passengers Beyond This Point
Summary
Questions can be tricky things. Everyone has their own way of dealing with them. India Tompkins can charm her way out of answering most of them. Finn Tompkins is too quiet to be asked in the first place. And Mouse Tompkins? She's a genius - she's used to having all the answers. But when they find themselves trapped in Falling Bird - a city seemingly without logic - the Tompkins kids are facing a whole slew of impossible questions, all demanding answers, and not even Mouse knows how to solve these. How do you find your way home when you arent even on the map? Whats the fastest way to wrap your brain around a problem when time itself keeps getting away from you? And if your life at home wasnt perfect, can you be sure you really want to go back?
©2011 Gennifer Choldenko (P)2011 Listening Library
You'll Like It Here (Everybody Does)
Summary
While Meggie and David Blue are from another planet, they're a lot like Earth kids, with similar hopes and dreams, and can't wait to grow up. BUT they also have GROSSLY UNIQUE qualities, such as blue streaks in their hair that pop up randomly and language skills that sound like nothing on this planet. The story takes these alien kids, along with their mother and grandfather, by accident, to a far planet in which the society is not only oppressive but hostile to individual freedom. People are kept submissive through drugs and brainwashing. The Blues, who have spent time in free societies recognize the upside-down-ness of this world. They're almost helpless to do anything, but do what they can, plan their escape, and vow to help others. From the Hardcover edition.
©2011 Ruth White (P)2011 Listening Library
Floors
Summary
The Whippet Hotel is a strange place full of strange and mysterious people. Each floor has its own quirks and secrets. Leo should know most of them - he is the maintenance man's son, after all. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when a series of cryptic boxes are left for him... boxes that lead him to hidden floors, strange puzzles, and unexpected alliances. Leo had better be quick on his feet, because the fate of the building he loves is at stake... and so is Leo's own future!
©2011 Patrick Carman (P)2011 Scholastic Audio
Doctorow: Collected Stories
Summary
A superb collection of 15 stories by an American master, E. L. Doctorow - the author of Ragtime, The March, The Book of Daniel, and Billy Bathgate. He has been called "a national treasure" by George Saunders. Doctorow's great topic, said Don DeLillo, is "the reach of American possibility, in which plain lives take on the cadences of history". This power is apparent everywhere in these stories: the bravery and self-delusion of people seeking the American dream; the geniuses, mystics, and charlatans who offer people false hope - or an actual glimpse of greatness. In "A House on the Plains", a mother has a plan for financial independence, which may include murder. In "Walter John Harmon", a man starts a cult using subterfuge and seduction. "Jolene: A Life" follows a teenager who escapes her home for Hollywood on a perilous quest for success. "Heist", the account of an Episcopal priest coping with a crisis of faith, was expanded into the best-seller City of God. "The Water Works", about the underbelly of 1870s New York, grew into a brilliant novel. "Liner Notes: The Songs of Billy Bathgate" is a corollary to the renowned novel and includes Doctorow's revisions. These 15 stories, written from the 1960s to the early 21st century, and selected, revised, and placed in order by the author himself shortly before he died in 2015, are a testament to the genius of E. L. Doctorow. Read by John Rubinstein, with Joshua Swanson and Jesse Bernstein "Willi" read by John Rubinstein "The Hunter" read by John Rubinstein "The Writer in the Family" read by Jesse Bernstein "Heist" read by John Rubinstein "The Water Works" read by John Rubinstein "Liner Notes: The Songs of Billy Bathgate" read by John Rubinstein "Jolene: A Life" read by John Rubinstein "Baby Wilson" read by John Rubinstein "A House on the Plains" read by Joshua Swanson "Walter John Harmon" read by John Rubinstein "Child, Dead, in the Rose Garden" read by John Rubinstein "Wakefield" read by John Rubinstein "Edgemont Drive" read by John Rubinstein "Assimilation" read by John Rubinstein "All the Time in the World" read by John Rubinstein
©2017 E. L. Doctorow (P)2017 Random House Audio
Seriously, Norman!
Summary
Why, why are grownups so insane? That’s exactly the question that Norman, Anna and Emma (the twins), and I, Leonard, try to answer. And with the help of Norman’s new tutor, Balthazar Birdsong (also fairly nuts), we nearly do it, too. No, seriously!
©2011 Chris Raschka (P)2011 Scholastic Audio
Vote
Summary
Some people lead and some people get out of the way. It’s a universal rule. A cosmic inevitability. Kevin Spencer is one lucky guy. Tina Zabinski, the World’s Most Beautiful, Most Perfect, Best-Smelling Girl, is finally his girlfriend. But now that he’s got the girl, will he be able to keep her?E nter his mortal enemy, Cash Devine. Handsome, smooth-talking Cash is running for class president, and he seems to have his eye on Tina. Kev’s got to dazzle her, so he decides to exercise his great political mind and run against Cash. There’s just one little problem: Kevin has to win. Gary Paulsen continues his exploration of the quirky, inventive mind of fourteen-year-old Kevin in this hilarious companion to Liar, Liar; Flat Broke; and Crush.
©2013 Gary Paulsen (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
The Field of Wacky Inventions
Summary
The final adventure in bestselling author Patrick Carman's delightfully wacky Floors trilogy! Leo and Remi have saved the wacky, wonderful Whippet Hotel, but their adventures aren't over. Anything is possible on the field of wacky inventions: some are scary (like a genetically altered twelve-foot chicken); some are dangerous (like a pond full of electric eels); some are completely out of control; and somehow, Leo and Remi will take it all in stride.
©2013 Patrick Carman (P)2013 Scholastic, Inc.
The Cost of All Things
Summary
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets We Were Liars in this thought-provoking and brilliantly written debut that is part love story, part mystery, part high-stakes drama. What would you pay to cure your heartbreak? Banish your sadness? Transform your looks? The right spell can fix anything. When Ari's boyfriend, Win, dies, she gets a spell to erase all memory of him. But spells come at a cost, and this one sets off a chain of events that reveal the hidden - and sometimes dangerous - connections between Ari, her friends, and the boyfriend she can no longer remember. Told from four different points of view, this original and affecting novel weaves past and present in a suspenseful narrative that unveils the truth behind a terrible tragedy.
©2015 Maggie Lehrman (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers
Family Ties
Summary
Family fun takes center stage in three-time Newbery Honor winner Gary Paulsen's hilarious novel for middle-school boys. Kevin Spencer is the glue that holds his family together. When his wacky relatives decide to have a double wedding in the backyard, Kevin takes charge. Planning two weddings is a great way to impress his girlfriend, Tina Zabinski, the Most Beautiful and Best-Smelling Girl in the World. But as more and more relatives come to stay, things spiral out of control. Tying the knot has Kevin tied up in knots in this laugh-out-loud story.
©2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved. (P)2014 Gary Paulsen
Facade
Summary
From best-selling author, Nyrae Dawn, comes Book 2 in her new-adult, Games series! "Can love save them?" After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, 18-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is alright. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she's never been - and into the arms of Adrian Westfall. To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his facade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past. Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate, carefree love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbor their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together, or tear them apart forever?
©2013 Nyrae Dawn (P)2014 Hachette Audio
We'll Always Have Paris
Summary
From the winner of the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters comes a brand-new, never-before-published collection of short stories. Following the success of his recent collections, The Cat’s Pajamas and One More for the Road, Ray Bradbury has once again pulled together a stellar group of stories sure to delight listeners of all ages. We’ll Always Have Paris is a treasure trove of Bradbury gems - eerie and strange, nostalgic and bittersweet, searching and speculative - all of which have never before been published. A brilliant addition to the master’s oeuvre, this wonderfully entertaining and imaginative collection is a joyous celebration of the lifelong work of a literary legend.
©2009 Ray Bradbury (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers
Three-Ring Rascals, Books 1-2
Summary
This audiobook collection includes: Three-Ring Rascals, Book 1: The Show Must Go On! When Sir Sidney, a kindly old circus owner, becomes too tired to travel with his show, he places a Help Wanted ad in the newspaper. Enter Barnabas Brambles: "I have a degree in lion taming from the University of Piccadilly Circus." But does Leo the lion need taming? Will Elsa the elephant still get her gourmet peanuts? And what will Brambles say when he discovers Bert and Gert - two mice who travel with the circus on popcorn cleanup patrol? Brambles has big plans: more cities! More shows! No more free popcorn. Soon he's made a big mess of Sir Sidney's Circus, but Leo, Elsa, Bert, Gert, and the rest of the performers agree: The Show Must Go On! Three-Ring Rascals, Book 2: The Greatest Star on Earth The rascals from the world's friendliest family circus are back in the second installment of this "smafunderful" series. Everyone knows Sir Sidney's Circus is the best in the world. But who's the star of the show? The Circus Times is having a contest to find out. Just thinking about it gives Sir Sidney a worrywart, and it's quickly clear why. Soon after he goes off to rest, the performers start thinking too much about winning the trophy and not enough about putting on a good show. Meanwhile, it looks as if ringmaster-in-training Barnabas Brambles might need some help managing the crew, so Bert and Gert, the sly brother-and-sister mice who travel with the show, set out to write a book to teach him how it's done. Does Bert and Gert's plan work? And who is the star of the circus? All will be revealed in The Greatest Star on Earth. The full list of narrators includes: Robbie Daymond, Todd Haberkorn, John H. Mayer, Georgette Perna, Jesse Bernstein, Fabio Tassone, Stefan Rudnicki, Cassandra Campbell, Kirsten Porter, Kathleen McInerney, Tara Sands, Lincoln Hoppe.
©2015 Kate Klise (P)2015 Listening Library
The Tragedy Paper
Summary
Perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Looking for Alaska, The Tragedy Paper has been called “a beguiling and beautifully written tale of first love and heartbreak,” by New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner. It follows the story of Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants - he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher. Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their secrets.
©2013 Elizabeth Laban (P)2013 Listening Library