Audiobooks Narrated by Peter Francis James

Kick

For the very first time in his decades-long career writing for teens, acclaimed and beloved author Walter Dean Myers writes with a teen, Ross Workman. Kevin Johnson is thirteen years old. And heading for juvie. He's a good kid, a great friend, and a star striker for his Highland, New Jersey, soccer team. His team is competing for the State Cup, and he wants to prove he has more than just star-player potential. Kevin's never been in any serious trouble . . . until the night he ends up in jail. Enter Sergeant Brown, a cop assigned to be Kevin's mentor. If Kevin and Brown can learn to trust each other, they might be able to turn things around before it's too late.

Ross Workman, Walter Dean Myers (Author), Michael Smith Rivera, Peter Francis James (Narrator)

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Old Yeller

There is something special in the telling of this story which makes it more than just a tender account of a boy's love for his dog, and more than a tale of frontier days. It is the combination of excellent writing and the sensitivity to human emotions that places it on a shelf with the classics." – Saturday Review of Literature. When a novel like Huckleberry Finn or The Yearling comes along, it defies customary adjectives because of the intensity of the response it evokes in the reader. Such a tale is Old Yeller; to listen to this eloquently simply story of a boy and his dog in the Texas hill country is an unforgettable and deeply moving experience. "Exciting and heartwarming indeed. Recommended for adults and teenagers." – Library Journal

Fred Gipson (Author), Peter Francis James (Narrator)

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The Moves Make the Man

First time I saw Bix was at a baseball game. He was a shortstop, supreme. I didn't want to start liking this flashy cracker with a momma in a high-style black dress. But Bix got me, baby. Next thing I knew, there I was, Jerome Foxworthy, doing hoops privately in the woods and getting my moves down, when Bix showed up. I taught him all I knew-- even though he wanted to play everything straight, not fake it. Because he had one game coming up where he'd need all the moves to put his life together again ... -- The Jayfox

Bruce Brooks (Author), Peter Francis James (Narrator)

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Junebug

In the dingy Auburn Street project where Junebug lives, ten is the age when young boys start joining gangs and helping drug dealers. Junebug has watched his friend, Darnell, drift away in a sleek, dark-windowed car. He has seen his Aunt Jolita, surrounded by a cloud of jewelry and perfume, strut off with silent gang leaders. Junebug's mother works hard to keep him and his little sister safe. So do the librarian and the tutor who set up a reading room in the basement of the graffiti-coated apartment building. But Junebug is afraid; his tenth birthday is coming up soon. Alice Mead is a former teacher in inner-city schools. In Junebug, she gently portrays a dangerous world as seen through the eyes of a child who refuses to give up his optimism and hope. The voice of narrator Peter Francis James adds a warmth to this tale that allows Junebug to step from the page into the listener's heart.

Alice Mead (Author), Peter Francis James (Narrator)

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The Planet of Junior Brown

Winner of the Newbery Honor, The Planet of Junior Brown is an extraordinary story of heroism, and survival, that will appeal to young and older readers alike. The only thing Junior Brown and Buddy Clark really have is the small solar system they had built in the hidden cellar room of the school. Ostracized from his classmates Junior, a 300 pound musical and artistic prodigy, depends on his imagination for companionship. Buddy is used to depending on no one but himself. Homeless, he uses his wits to survive the streets. With the help of Mr. Poole, the school custodian, the two boys discover a world, a sheltered universe of their own in the basement room. When their hiding place is discovered, and Junior loses the only place he feels safe, his imagination takes over. It will take all of Buddy's resource to protect his friend as the realities of Junior's world come crashing in around them both. Award-winning author Virginia Hamilton is best known for her ability to create stories that teach with an element of fantasy. Heralded among the top black women writers, Hamilton brings the lessons of black urban experience to life for young adults from a variety of background and ethic origins.

Virginia Hamilton (Author), Peter Francis James (Narrator)

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Darnell Rock Reporting

Children and adults alike will cheer for this funny, uplifting story of a troublemaker who joins the school newspaper and discovers the power of words-and uses that power to make a positive difference in his community. Darnell Rock is an especially meaningful hero for African American boys who confront many of the same pressures that Darnell faces.

Walter Dean Myers (Author), Peter Francis James (Narrator)

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The Dream Bearer

For a young adolescent, David Curry has a lot to contend with. He loves and fears Reuben, his troubled father. His older brother, Ty, is turning into someone David doesn't know anymore -- or trust. And his mom is struggling to hold everything together. But then David meets Mr. Moses, an elderly man who tells him that dreams are the key to understanding reality. And with Mr. Moses's gift of dreams, David begins to see the world through his father's eyes. Printz Award winner Walter Dean Myers weaves a richly layered tale of a boy's journey of self-discovery and the acceptance and compassion he learns along the way.

Walter Dean Myers (Author), Peter Francis James, Peter James (Narrator)

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Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad

When Harriet Tubman was born a plantation slave in 1820, her parents hoped she could learn a trade, so she wouldn't have to work in the fields. But because she defended a slave against an overseer, she became a field hand anyway. As she grew strong and learned to survive in the woods and find her way by the North Star, she dreamed of freedom. When she was almost 30, she finally made her escape, but her own freedom wasn't enough. Risking life and limb, she became a conductor on the Underground Railroad to help other slaves flee to safety. A symbol of strength and hope, this legendary 'Moses' led over 300 of her people to freedom and a new life. Narrator Peter Francis James brings this powerful woman to life to inspire all of us with her compassion, bravery and moral integrity.

Ann Petry (Author), Peter Francis James (Narrator)

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Bull Run

Winner of the Newbery Medal, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and a Publishers Weekly Best book of 1993, Bull Run has become a modern classic of historical fiction for young adults. In this brilliant narrative, Fleischman recreates the first great battle of the Civil War from the points of view of sixteen different participants. Through an unflinching narrative of the battle of Bull Run, human faces begin to emerge from the faded pages of history. Read by a varied cast of narrators, the characters on both sides spring to vivid life as they share their feelings as the battle of Bull Run rages around them. Intimate and instructive, this recording is a tour de force that will please parents and teachers who are looking for a way to interest youngsters in reading and history. Cast of narrators, in order of appearance, includes: George Guidall, Christina Moore, Andy Paris, Peter Francis James, Barbara Caruso, Robert Sevra, Johnny Heller, Tom Stechschulte, Richard Poe, Paul Hecht, John McDonough, Jeff Woodman, Sam Gray, Richard Davidson, Sally Darling, and Mark Hammer.

Paul Fleischman (Author), Andy Paris, Barbara Caruso, Christina Moore, George Guidall, Jeff Woodman, John Mcdonough, Johnny Heller, Mark Hammer, Paul Hecht, Peter Francis James, Richard Davidson, Richard Poe, Robert Sevra, Sally Darling, Sam Gray, Tom Stechschulte (Narrator)

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