Showing results by narrator "Kevin M Connolly" in All Categories

What do you get when you put together the coolest kid in class, an unpredictable live-in grandmother, and a caring but anxious grandson? Disaster? No. You get to know Ruben Plotnick. David is worried about how zany Ruben Plotnick will react when he meets Grandma Rosie, who often says and does unexpected things. Will Ruben make fun of her to their classmates? Will he imitate her whispery voice? What will he do if Grandma Rosie suddenly wants to dance?

Cats. You either love 'em or hate 'em. But what happens when Mom loves cats and Dad detests them? In That Cat Can't Stay, Mom keeps adopting stray cats while Dad's objections get more and more absurd: “Mom found a little calico. / Dad said, That thing has got to go. There's no use begging. Don't say please. / I don't like cats. They scratch my knees. They carry fleas. They make me sneeze. / They're always getting stuck in trees. I want it gone. Send it away. / I'm telling you, that cat can't stay.”

When Emmy accidentally spills juice on her dad's pants, she takes refuge behind Mom's knee. Expecting a reprimand, Emmy is surprised when Mom tells Dad, “Now, sweetheart, you should let it be. After all...she's only three.” What an amazing discovery! She's too young to be punished!

US Marines Capt. Kramer and his dog Sgt. Shadow survive hell in Afghanistan - but worse awaits them back home. You Can Run is not your average crime thriller. Full of crime, absolutely! A thrilling ride, most definitely! But Greg Smith takes it up a couple of notches, pulls you, the listener, into a dangerous, action-packed FBI operation. You enter the world of 2 US Marines who offer their services to bring down a diabolical kingpin.

This short tale about a man's desire to live a different kind of life unfolds during a single day. At the crack of dawn the ferryman opens his eyes to find an impatient businessman nudging him with his foot. The businessman demands they cross the river. Immediately. Right this second. Not a minute to spare.

If you build a perfect sandcastle, a dragon will move in. And that's exactly what happens to one very lucky boy at the beach. Dad is busy sunbathing, and Mom is busy with her book, so the boy and dragon roam the beach together, flying a kite, braving the waves, and roasting marshmallows. But no one believes him when he shares the news of his magnificent dragon: Mom only hears the roar of the ocean, Dad thinks the dragon feather is a seagull feather, and know-it-all sis claims there's no such thing as a dragon.

Early in August 1937, a news flash came: A sea monster had been spotted lurking off the shore of Nantucket Island. Historically, the Massachusetts island had served as port for whaling ships. Eyewitnesses swore this wasn’t a whale, but some new, fearsome creature. As eyewitness account piled up, newspaper stories of the sea monster spread quickly. Across the nation, people shivered in fear.

Solid wax is somehow changed into light and heat. But how? Travel back in time to December 28, 1848 in London, England to one of the most famous juvenile science Christmas lectures at the Royal Institution. British scientist Michael Faraday (1791-1867) encouraged kids to carefully observe a candle and to try to figure out how it burned. Known as one of the best science experimenters ever, Faraday’s passion was always to answer the basic questions of science: “What is the cause? Why does it occur?”

During the holiday season, Jennifer Jacobs discovers that she is the only Jewish student in her class. She is thrilled and so creates The Only One Club, of which she is the only glittery-badge-wearing member. When her classmates want to join her exclusive club Jennifer at first resists, but she later realizes that each person is “the only one” at something. She makes glittery badges for everyone, and distributes them while revealing the quality that makes each friend “the only one”.

“What does Dudley do all day while we're away?” Sam wonders. Mom explains that Dudley does ordinary dog things: he eats, naps, guards the house, and plays. But in Sam's mind, Dudley's day at home is anything but ordinary. Delightful digital paintings depict the human activities Sam imagines Dudley is doing–which don't quite match Mom's explanations.

What was Captain doing in Dragon's sandbox? He was moping. Because he'd lost his ship. “Oh, no! I'll help you find it! Come on!” Dragon said. “Where are we going?” Captain asked. “To my cave! I know I have a map there somewhere.” Armed with a (toy watch) compass, a (paper towel tube) telescope, and a (handdrawn) map, Dragon and Captain set off on a great adventure.

If you think YOU have a busy schedule, take a look at Ernestine Buckmeister's weekly calendar: On Mondays she sculpts with Clay Lumpkin. On Tuesdays she does water ballet with Miss Goldfisher. On Wednesdays she knits with Mrs. Pearl Stitchem. On Thursdays she takes tuba lessons with Mr. Oompah. On Fridays she yodels with Little Old Lady Hoo. On Saturdays she studies karate with Grand Master HiYa! And on Sundays she practices yoga with Guru Prakash Pretzel.

Ben is short. Zip is shorter. One day while they are walking on the boardwalk, a sudden storm blows in. Frightened by the thunder, Zip disappears into the crowd. Pint-sized Ben tries to search for Zip, but all he sees are knees! Right knees, left knees, knees with sandy patches. Fat knees, bony knees, knees with bumps and scratches. Ben finds a higher spot. Now all he sees are bellies! He climbs the highest lookout on the beach—the lifeguard stand—and sees that the rain has chased everyone from the beach! Now how will Ben find Zip?

What do you do when your purple shirt is dirty, your favorite cereal is gone, and a tantrum gets you banished to your bedroom? You run away...to a pop-up tent in the yard...but just until dinner. The Day I Ran Away is a spirited yet soothing story for days when you feel like running away, and a sweet reminder that home is where the hugs (and cookies) are.

Carla loves to be different. So when her teacher announces an upcoming vision screening, Carla hopes she'll be the only kid in class to need glasses. To prepare for her new look, she starts wearing homemade funky frames to school each day. Turns out that the only one who needs glasses is Buster. But unlike Carla, Buster does NOT like to be different. He likes to blend in. When Carla concocts an ingenious plan to help Buster, it's clear to see that the power of friendship—and Carla's creativity—will save the day.