As the summer ramps up, the TBF staff is enjoying some vacation time before the Festival season really kicks into high gear. We’re book people, so of course we listen to audiobooks during long drives and flights! Literary Director Hannah Gabel, and Director of Youth Programs Michelle Hernandez are here to offer some audiobook recommendations to make your travel time fly by. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll check one more book off of your to-be-read list. It’s a win-win. ☀️🏝️
Hannah’s Recommendations
After the passing of their mother, Maise and Grant are sent to Palm Springs to spend the summer with their fabulous gay Uncle Patrick. A semi-retired C-list actor, Patrick struggles to adapt to his new role as parental figure. However, he tackles the job the only way he knows how… with humor, heart and (many) cocktails. This is a sweet and uplifting book that perfectly captures grief without making the storyline feel too heavy and sad. So if you’re looking for a funny, (mostly) light and endearing story, I highly recommend you give this one a listen.
In his humorous and educational memoir, stand-up comedian and previous host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, tells the story of his upbringing in South Africa during apartheid. While narrating the defining moments of his life in hilarious fashion, Noah provides illuminating details about the culture and history of his home country. The audiobook is read by Trevor Noah and he truly knocks it out of the park with his various accents, impressions and impeccable comedic timing.
While I’m not typically much of a romance reader, I loved this witty and sweet story that offers a behind-the-scenes look at an SNL-esque TV show as a female writer forms an unlikely bond with a handsome celebrity guest. Captivating, funny and endearing, this is a story you could easily listen to (or read) in one sitting.
This incredibly unique satirical memoir stars a young Black boy who meets the CEO of a well-known tech start-up while working at Starbucks. When the CEO unexpectedly offers him a sales job, the protagonist is thrown into a new world of money, tech bros, start-up culture, tokenism and much more. Told in the style of a memoir, this satirical novel is wildly unique and kept me engrossed from start to finish. Furthermore, the collection of voice actors that narrate the audiobook really bring the story to life.
Michelle’s Recommendations
Perfect for fans of The Baby-Sitter’s Club, Gigi Shin Is Not a Nerd is the first book in a new series that is sure to delight middle grade readers. This was a fun book to listen to, filled with adventures and misadventures as Gigi and her friends try and figure out how to manage their own tutoring business with the goal of raising enough money to get to the art camp of their dreams.
My family and I listened to Ghost and the subsequent books in Jason Reynolds’ Track series on a long summer road trip. We got to know Ghost, book one’s titular character, and the rest of the crew, while taking in scenic landscapes at times and, more often, while making our way through longer, less exciting stretches. This book is filled with moments of hilarity and will have you cheering for the kids on and off of the track.
I would listen to Jacqueline Woodson read anything and getting to listen to the author narrate her most recent book, Remember Us, was a transcendent experience. This fictional story that takes place in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn in the 1970s is inspired by Woodson’s own childhood and is exquisitely written. Though this book is recommended for ages 10 and up, I hope adult readers will check it out too.
This audiobook has all the elements of a fantastic drama—complex characters and relationships, difficult situations, suspense, mystery, twists and turns. Those who find it difficult to focus on listening to a story without their mind wandering might just find themselves hanging on every word of this one. There is also a lot of beauty in this story that stems from connections between characters, Ojibwe culture, and community care. Firekeeper’s Daughter is not to be missed!
Texas Book Festival encourages audiences to enjoy audiobooks through friends and supporting sponsor Libro.fm. Libro.fm encourages more people to read while supporting local, independent bookstores. Learn more at www.libro.fm. Click an audiobook thumbnail above to enjoy these audiobooks through Libro.fm.
