Journey to Jumbalot

By: Ryan Wakefield

Narrated by: Bill Lord

A glowing doorway. A lost friend. Will one loyal pet turn out to be the hero of the hour?

Alby the housecat has no desire for adventure. Rescued by the kindly Professor Wizoom, he’s grateful to be safe and lazy. But when his master vanishes through a magical door, the scaredy-cat summons what little courage he has and races in after him.

Stuck in a strange land of mixed-together animals, Alby teams up with an irritating froguar to locate his missing owner. But when he’s mistaken for a spy, the lonely feline finds himself caught in a war between wolvaraptor pirates and noble tigeroon knights!

Can the timid feline conquer his worries in time to save the day?

Journey to Jumbalot is an action-packed fantasy audiobook based on an award-winning novel. If you like talking animals, daring deeds, and enchanted worlds, then you’ll love Ryan Wakefield’s imaginative quest into a strange new world.

Read by the award-winning narrator, Bill Lord, download Journey to Jumbalot today and listen to an adventure unlike any other!

• 2022 Readers' Favorite International Book Award: Gold Medal for Children's Preteen Fantasy
• 2021 Royal Palm Literary Award Competition: Gold Award for Published Fantasy
• Mom's Choice Awards: Gold Recipient for excellence in Family-friendly Media, Products, and Services
• Global Book Awards: Silver Medal for Children's Action and Adventure Category

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Ryan Wakefield (P)2023 Ryan Wakefield

Critic reviews

2022, Readers' Favorite International Book Award: Gold Medal for Children's Preteen Fantasy

2021, Royal Palm Literary Award Competition: Gold Award for Published Fantasy

Mom's Choice Awards: Gold Recipient for excellence in Family-friendly Media, Products, and Services

Global Book Awards: Silver Medal for Children's Action and Adventure Category

This audible is very well explained

Middle graders and adults will love this story! I was tired of fantasy stories that revolved around dragons and elves and this was exactly what I was looking for.

Fantastic from Start to Finish

Mr. Ryan Wakefield crafted an immersive, whimsical story containing a pampered yet determined, loyal housecat named Alby and his Professor Wizoom, an inventor. It begins with a curious cat seeking his master for food and attention, walking into the lab, and seeing the current creation, a triangle with lights. The professor greets his feline and tells him about the exciting project until bedtime. Alby wakes up with a sense that things are too quiet and looks for his owner. His search takes the overweight cat to the lab. The triangle pulses lighted colors and voices, which beg Alby for help. Stepping into the triangle doorway uncovers a world of wonder.

The land of Jumbalot contains bold colors and creatures that resemble combinations of multiple animals one can recognize from our world. Readers and listeners get drawn into this world with descriptive visuals, relatable sounds, and delightful conversation. The plants provide nourishment and enable creatures to speak a common language. Alby’s hunting for Professor Wizoom, discovers his new friend, Fremy, a froguar who offers help. These two friends travel through Jumbalot in their quest to find Professor Wizoom. The pair face many dangers on their trek and meet a variety of animals, including a queen. Alby learns a great deal about himself and his capabilities.

The voice acting of Bill Lord brings Jumbalot to life. Listeners will find each character excellently portrayed with distinctive tones and inflections in the rapid dialogue. The perfect consistency of the myriad of voices brings listeners into the story, rapidly painting words into pictures in their minds. There are no issues with the quality of the audiobook. You’ll get absorbed into this delightful fantasy, whether young or old. Grab his story as a perfect way to give young readers an exciting start to reading. I highly recommend this as a great summer listen or read for each family member.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

What A Cute Story

4.25 out of 5 stars

Journey to Jumbalot by Ryan Wakefield is a delightful YA/Pre-Teen story that captures the imagination and touches the heart. It follows the courageous Alby, an ordinary housecat who must transcend his feline limitations to embark on a thrilling adventure to save his mysteriously vanished owner.

One of the standout aspects of the story is its endearing characters, with Alby stealing the spotlight. Through Alby’s eyes, readers witness his transformation from an average housecat into a hero willing to face great challenges to rescue his beloved human. Alby’s determination and loyalty are truly inspiring, making him a lovable and relatable protagonist who had me smiling.

Wakefield’s storytelling skills shine brightly in this book. The narrative is filled with heartwarming moments and laced with humor and captivating plot twists that engage readers of all ages. Despite being aimed at a younger audience, Journey to Jumbalot effortlessly captivates readers of all ages, including those who may not be the book’s intended demographic.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Journey to Jumbalot. It is a charming and entertaining read that has the potential to ignite a love for reading in young readers, particularly those who adore cats. With its mix of heart, humor, and irresistible characters, Ryan Wakefield has crafted a tale that is hard to put down and leaves a lasting impression.

Bill Lord nailed the performance, too. He really breathed life into the story, making it fly off the pages.

A magical and endearing adventure

Journey to Jumbalot is a wonderful action-filled middle-grade fantasy audiobook by author and graphic artist Ryan Wakefield. The award-winning story follows a timid housecat named Alby, who embarks on an adventure into a new land filled with dangers and mysteries in order to save his kind owner. Along the way, Alby learns to overcome his fears, make new friends, and become a hero.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook and was completely captivated by the story from start to finish. Ryan Wakefield’s great imagination and talent for creating vivid and colorful characters appealed a lot to me. The way he portrays Alby’s growth, his courage, and his creativity in facing challenges was very much welcomed.

The inclusion of colorful, hybrid animals and the author’s emphasis on important values such as ingenuity, friendship, loyalty, and heroism was truly inspiring.

The audiobook version of Journey to Jumbalot, narrated by the Audiofile Magazine Earphones award-winning narrator Bill Lord, is exceptional. Lord’s pleasant voice perfectly matches the tone and mood of the story. His portrayal of the different characters with unique voices and accents successfully brings them to life in an immersive and entertaining manner.

Journey to Jumbalot is a one-of-a-kind adventure that can be enjoyed by kids, teenagers, and adults alike. This colorful story, with its vivid descriptions, endearing characters, and inspiring messages teaches the importance of building self-confidence and overcoming insecurities.

With Journey to Jumbalot, Ryan Wakefield has also provided us with a unique audiobook that we can enjoy as a family, as it has the potential to spark discussions about the values and lessons it conveys. I eagerly look forward to more stories set in this enchanting world created by Wakefield.

I am a blind audiobook reviewer, so if you found this review interesting I hope you will consider leaving a helpful vote below. Thank you! Take care, stay safe, and don't forget, always listen with your heart.

Fascinating audio-book

The engaging tale and memorable characters make this an excellent choice for young listeners.Anyone with a creative spirit, but particularly those of a younger age, should listen this.

Extremely encouraging and exciting audible

Journey to Jumbalot is an excellent fantasy adventure! I loved the creativity and memorable characters. Wakefield's story combined with Lord's narration is the perfect combination.

This is a Story for Pre-Teens

This is a Imaginative story of a Professor and his pampered cat, who enter another world where all creatures are a combination of 2-3 different animals. There is a War brewing between 2 kingdoms in Jumlalot and Alby is the one to prevent it. Narrator does a nice job with the various characters voices and Storyline.