This summer, SYNC will be providing two free teen audiobooks each week from April 26th to July 25th. Each week will focus on a specific theme, pairing a classic YA title with a more modern YA title. These two titles will be available to download for free this week only (from 5/3 to 5/9) at the SYNC website. The second week will start on Thursday, May 3rd with Solo . The theme for the second week is “venturing abroad.”
This novel-in-verse, written by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess, sings with the despair, hope, and love that wash over 17-year-old Blade, a budding musician. Alexander’s affection for Blade is obvious through his narration. He wrings every drop of emotion from a poignant story of a teen who is missing his mother, who died years ago, and battling his father, a broken-down rock star who is incapable of staying sober or taking responsibility for anything or anyone. When Blade’s girlfriend deserts him and his sister reveals a devastating family secret, Blade leaves for Ghana to discover his true history. Peppered with references to songs by famous rockers like Lenny Kravitz and Stevie Nicks, Blade’s own songs—set to music and sung by Randy Preston—are an integral part of this moving audio production. This title is available through the library in book, ebook, and eaudiobook formats.
Urrea’s book conveys the ambiance of the border between the U.S. and Mexico and the human cost of U.S. immigration policy. The story revolves around the gruesome events—now more than a decade old—that resulted in the deaths of 14 Mexicans who were trying to walk into the U.S. across the desolate Sonoran Desert. Urrea is scrupulously evenhanded in his treatment of U.S. officials and Mexican immigrants. He’s even fair to the “Coyote” gangsters most obviously responsible for the tragedy. His reading of his own work offers all the advantages of author narration—perfect pronunciation and emphasis—with none of the disadvantages. He obviously enjoys the idioms of the border—in English and Spanish. The library has this title in book format.