The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen
Narrated by Laurie Jo Daniels and Emily Ellet
Listening Library
Publication Date: May 17, 2022
ISBN: 9780593585009
When Ginny Rose and Peggy are children, they form a fierce friendship as they pick peaches in the orchards on Peggy’s family farm in central California. Ginny Rose’s family travels there in the summers to escape the Oklahoma Dust Bowl and earn a wage doing farm work. Ten years and a world war later, Ginny Rose’s family is back in town permanently but the differences between their families that didn’t register when they were children seem to loom above every interaction. It doesn’t help that Peggy’s best friend Lisette, a wealthy banker’s entitled daughter, is constantly putting Ginny Rose on edge.
When Ginny Rose finds a way to mend a family trauma from her early childhood, she, Peggy and Lisette take an unforgettable journey together. The three teens seem impossibly different, but discover what they all have in common: chafing societal roles and family secrets ready to break their lives apart.
This audiobook is artfully narrated by Daniels and Ellet bringing Van Draanen’s characters vividly to life. While there are not many YA novels that focus on the eras of the Great Depression and post-WWII, this book is not to be missed for fans of historical fiction and stories with strong character development. Hand to fans of We Are Not Free, A Northern Light or Elizabeth Wein.
–Natalie LaRocque
Other Nominated Titles:
- Loveless by Alice Oseman; narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown, Elizabeth Schenk, Imogen Church (3/1/2022)
- So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens; narrated by Kevin R. Free (3/29/2022)
The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.
Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.