Showing results by narrator "Nneka Okoye" in All Categories

When young James Dixon, a local jack-of-all-trades recently returned from the Battle of Waterloo, meets Dorothy Wordsworth, he quickly realizes he’s never met another woman anything like her. In her early 30s, Dorothy has already lived a wildly unconventional life. And as her famous brother William Wordsworth’s confidante and creative collaborator - considered by some in their circle to be the secret to his success as a poet - she has carved a seemingly idyllic existence for herself, alongside William and his wife, in England’s Lake District. 

No magician has ever escaped Coldwater Prison. But that is exactly where Amanda Coleman, heist artist and Abra-killer, must go. Somewhere in London, a mysterious blackmailer has enough evidence to put Amanda’s head in a noose and ensure her only remaining daughter, Michaela, is right alongside her when it happens. To save Michaela, Amanda must assassinate one of Coldwater’s most infamous residents. But the only way in is as an inmate. But a notorious Abra-killer like Amanda can expect a few old enemies in a prison full of mages, and they have their own plans.

Morgan is a young orphan who lives off scavenging - until he finds a cosy home at a famous London publishing house. Over time, he learns a trade - and soon becomes the very best book cat in the business. Then the Blitz begins. Morgan finds himself training up 20 odd kittens to be book cats, and then there is the small matter of secretly evacuating them out of London. Happily, Morgan has a plan.

It is the 1990s, and Gloria is living in a London psychiatric ward. She is unapologetically loud, audacious and eternally on the brink of bursting into song. After several months of uninterrupted routine, she is joined by another young Black woman - Merle - who is full of silences and fear. Unable to confide in their doctors, they agree to journal their pasts. Whispered into tape recorders and scrawled ferociously at night, the remarkable stories of their lives are revealed.

Erased. Ignored. Hidden. Lost. Underappreciated. No longer. Delve into the unique, inspiring and world-changing history of Black people. From Frederick Douglass to Oprah Winfrey, and the achievements of ancient African kingdoms to those of the US civil rights movement, Timelines from Black History: Leaders, Legends, Legacies takes kids on an exceptional journey from prehistory to modern times. 

Activists are people who strive for what they believe in. In this audiobook, learn about amazing activists from history and today. Learn about incredible activists who have changed the world by campaigning for peace and equality or starting projects to clean up the planet. You'll even learn about amazing kids who have used their voices to speak up about issues they care about.

Ren's family lose their home in a fire. They're living with her grandmother now and things are a bit tense. Ren lost her collection of things, her clothes; her brother lost his little bear and is inconsolable. So Ren starts replacing things with other people's possessions. They've got loads of stuff, after all. But she gets caught and has to strike a terrifying deal to avoid detection...

Ruth dares to dream of another life—far away from the horrors within the walls of Bethnal Green’s infamous orphanage. Luckily she has her friends, Amy and Ellen—but she can’t keep them safe, and the suffering is only getting worse. Surely there must be a way out of here? But when Ruth breaks free from the shackles of confinement and sets out into East London, hoping to make a new life for herself, she finds that, for a girl with nowhere to turn, life can be just as tough on the outside.

Sisters Cheta and Zam couldn’t be more different. Cheta, sharp-tongued and stubborn, never shies away from conflict—either at school or at home, where her mother fires abuse at her. Timid Zam escapes most of her mother’s anger, skating under the radar and avoiding her sister whenever possible. In a turn of good fortune, Zam is invited to live with her aunt’s family in the lap of luxury. Jealous, Cheta also leaves home, but to a harder existence that will drive her to terrible decisions. When the sisters are reunited, Zam alone will recognize how far Cheta has fallen.

When Amy's chosen as part of a programme to resettle displaced children in Canada, her life changes tack. Her great sadness is having to say goodbye to Ruth and Ellen, the friends who became family to her during the dark days at the orphanage. As she steps on board the ship to Montreal, the promise of a new life lies ahead. But during the long crossing, Amy discovers a terrifying secret.

A former carer, primary school teacher and education researcher, Matt Lloyd-Rose became a volunteer police officer to try to understand the challenges facing young people in Brixton, the place he lived and taught. He got more than he bargained for. Each Friday evening, he put on the uniform and policed South London: racing through it on blue lights, patrolling its streets, entering a parallel version of a place he thought he knew.

How much are you willing to sacrifice in the name of love? In the beloved fairy tale "The Little Mermaid", Hans Christian Andersen beautifully depicts a mermaid princess' tranquil but tragic life under the sea. Curious about humans, the princess daringly ventures above the surface and finds herself drawn to a human prince. However, being unable to do anything about her growing love for the prince, she eventually seeks help from a mystical sea witch.

Sante was a baby when she was washed ashore in a sea-chest laden with treasure. It seems she is the sole survivor of the tragic sinking of a ship carrying migrants and refugees. Her people. Fourteen years on she's a member of Mama Rose's unique and dazzling circus. But, from their watery grave, the unquiet dead are calling Sante to avenge them: A bamboo flute. A golden bangle. A ripening mango which must not fall.

Ellen. Abandoned by her father for the second time, left scarred from the orphanage, Ellen finally finds happiness and hope—reunited with her long-lost gran. But it cannot compensate for being torn apart from her beloved friends Ruth and Amy. When a devastating encounter leaves Ellen broken and desperate, she is forced to fight her past demons. Ruth. Ruth has found peace, building a new life as an actress surrounded by new friends. But still, she longs to be with Ellen and Amy after everything they endured together in the orphanage.