Willodeen
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Narrated by:
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Ariadne Meyers
About this listen
From number one New York Times best-selling author Katherine Applegate comes a singular middle-grade story about a girl who risks everything to help a handmade creature who comes to life.
Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favourites are the most unlovable beasts in the land - strange beasts known as 'screechers'. The villagers of Perchance call them pests, even monsters, but Willodeen believes the animals serve a vital role in the complicated web of nature.
Lately, though, nature has seemed angry indeed. Perchance has been cursed with fires and mudslides, droughts and fevers, and even the annual migration of hummingbears, which are a source of local pride and income, has dwindled. For as long as anyone can remember, the tiny animals have overwintered in shimmering bubble nests perched atop blue willow trees, drawing tourists from far and wide. This year, however, not a single hummingbear has returned to Perchance, and no one knows why.
When a handmade birthday gift brings unexpected magic to Willodeen and her new friend Connor, she’s determined to speak up for the animals she loves and perhaps even uncover the answer to the mystery of the missing hummingbears.
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Critic reviews
"Employing flawlessly simple, candid prose that belies deeper messages, Newbery Medalist Applegate again considers the complex relationship between humans and the natural world." (Publishers Weekly)
"You know you’re in for a treat with an Applegate fantasy, but when she dreams up hummingbears - tiny, winged bears that nest in bubbles - it’s instantly catapulted into irresistible territory." (Booklist)
"Another stunning effort from Applegate. This thoughtful read is a top choice for middle graders." (School Library Journal)
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Lise’s father is dead, and the life of plenty and freedom that she has known as the daughter of the King’s Huntsman is gone. She must now live a life of duty to her mother and sisters, helping them to cope in their altered circumstances. But where her mother would have her wed a childhood friend to secure their future, Lise knows that is not what she longs for.
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Classic fairytale remade into a lesbian romanc
- By Army Vet on 01-28-22
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Enchanter's Child, Book One: Twilight Hauntings
- By: Angie Sage
- Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham
- Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Alex has a set of Enchanted cards. When she flutters her fingers above them, something magical happens: The cards come alive and create moving pictures of what is now and what is yet to come. But Enchantment is illegal in the city of Luma, and those who practice it are imprisoned forever in the Vaults - dark dungeons deep below the city. When Alex is betrayed by her foster sister Zerra, she knows she is in great danger. With the help of her little foster brother, Louie, she makes a daring escape.
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Too hard to listen to
- By J.M. Jaco on 09-30-21
By: Angie Sage
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The Fairy Godmother
- Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 1
- By: Mercedes Lackey
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 12 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Elena Klovis was supposed to be her kingdom's Cinderella - until an accident of fate left her with a completely inappropriate prince! Determined not to remain with her stepfamily, Elena set out to get a new job - and ended up becoming the Fairy Godmother for the land. But "Breaking with Tradition" was no easy matter. True, she didn't have to sleep in the chimney, but she had to deal with arrogant, stuffed-shirt princes who kept trying to rise above their place in the tale.
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An excellent start to a new series
- By Captain Skurvy on 01-16-13
By: Mercedes Lackey
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A Life Once Dreamed
- By: Rachel Fordham
- Narrated by: Teri Clark Linden
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Six years ago, a shocking secret sent Agnes Pratt running in search of a new start. She found it in Penance, a rugged town of miners and lumberjacks in the Dakota Territory, where she became Miss Aggie, respected schoolteacher and confirmed old maid. But the past has a way of catching up with people. When childhood friend and former sweetheart James Harris accepts a position as the town doctor, Aggie's pleasantly predictable days suddenly become anything but.
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Beautiful Dream!
- By A+D on 08-04-20
By: Rachel Fordham
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Sophie and the Rising Sun
- By: Augusta Trobaugh
- Narrated by: Rue McClanahan
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In sleepy Salty Creek, Georgia, strangers are rare. When a quiet, unassuming stranger arrives - a Japanese man with a secret history of his own - he becomes the talk of the town and a new beginning for lonely Sophie, who lost her first love during World War I. Middle-aged Sophie had resigned herself to a passionless existence. That all begins to change as she finds herself drawn to the mysterious Mr. Oto.
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very good story
- By MissSusie66 on 08-20-12
By: Augusta Trobaugh
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Two Rogues Make a Right
- Seducing the Sedgwicks
- By: Cat Sebastian
- Narrated by: Joel Leslie
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Will Sedgwick can’t believe that after months of searching for his oldest friend, Martin Easterbrook is found hiding in an attic like a Gothic nightmare. Intent on nursing Martin back to health, Will kindly kidnaps him and takes him to the countryside to recover, well away from the world. Martin doesn’t much care where he is or even how he got there. He’s much more concerned that the man he’s loved his entire life is currently waiting on him hand and foot, feeding him soup and making him tea. Martin knows he’s a lost cause, one he doesn’t want Will to waste his life on.
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Uneventful, not believable
- By Little J on 03-31-21
By: Cat Sebastian
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Red Wolf
- By: Rachel Vincent
- Narrated by: Taylor Meskimen
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Powerful and compelling, this high-stakes, feminist reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood is perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Meagan Spooner.
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Love this story so much!!
- By Becky on 02-03-23
By: Rachel Vincent
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Spark
- By: Sarah Beth Durst
- Narrated by: Eevin Hartsough
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Storm beasts and their guardians create perfect weather every day, and Mina longs for a storm beast of her own. But when the gentle girl bonds with a lightning beast - a creature of fire and chaos - everyone’s certain it’s a mistake. Everyone but Mina and the beast himself, Pixit. Quickly enrolled in lightning school, Mina struggles to master a guardian’s skills, and she discovers that her country's weather comes at a devastating cost - a cost powerful people wish to hide. Mina’s never been the type to speak out, but someone has to tell the truth.
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Spark review
- By Anonymous User on 09-30-23
By: Sarah Beth Durst
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In Calabria
- By: Peter S. Beagle
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 3 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Claudio Bianchi has lived alone for many years on a hillside in Southern Italy's scenic Calabria. Set in his ways and suspicious of outsiders, Claudio has always resisted change, preferring farming and writing poetry. But one chilly morning, as though from a dream, an impossible visitor appears at the farm. When Claudio comes to her aid, an act of kindness throws his world into chaos. Suddenly he must stave off inquisitive onlookers, invasive media, and even more sinister influences.
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A Wonderful Short Story!
- By Memeke on 02-21-20
By: Peter S. Beagle
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Dispocalypse
- Dispocalypse
- By: M.A. Rothman
- Narrated by: Therese Plummer
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In a post-apocalyptic world ruled by a Governor who is both feared and worshipped, Willow is a 17-year-old girl who is trying to get through her last year of studies. But when her father dies, she experiences strange dreams that change everything about how she looks at the world and at herself. Haunted by the tragedy, Willow pushes herself beyond anything she could have imagined she was capable of. It's only when she catches the attention of some of the Governor's informants that her world is turned upside-down.
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the third begining
- By Kim Børsting Jensen on 01-17-24
By: M.A. Rothman
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Anya and the Dragon
- By: Sofiya Pasternack
- Narrated by: Laura Knight Keating
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Anya and the Dragon is the story of fantasy and mayhem in 10th century Eastern Europe, where headstrong 11-year-old Anya is a daughter of the only Jewish family in her village. When her family's livelihood is threatened by a bigoted magistrate, Anya is lured in by a friendly family of fools, who promise her money in exchange for helping them capture the last dragon in Kievan Rus. This seems easy enough, until she finds out that the scary old dragon isn't as old - or as scary - as everyone thought. Now Anya is faced with a choice: save the dragon, or save her family.
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perfection
- By Amazon Customer on 10-26-19
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What would happen if the noisiest, most talkative class of 5th graders in history dared each other not to talk for 48 hours? This is the premise Andrew Clements explores in one of his most compelling stories yet.
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Tim is just a peasant, but he dreams big. He wants more out of life than to grow up to be a woodsman like his father. Unfortunately, the only route to success in the kingdom of Wyld is to be born a prince. Still, Tim is determined. He is brave and clever and always tries to do the right thing—even though he rarely gets the credit for it.
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Portico Reeves’s superpower is making sure all the other superheroes—like his parents and two best friends—stay super. And safe. Super safe. And he does this all in secret. No one in his civilian life knows he’s actually…Stuntboy! But his regular Portico identity is pretty cool, too. He lives in the biggest house on the block, maybe in the whole city, which basically makes it a castle. His mom calls where they live an apartment building. But a building with fifty doors just in the hallways is definitely a castle.
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The meantime and the frets
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The Lost Library
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When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change. Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.
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I might not be the intended audience
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As the youngest in her family, Dory really wants attention; and more than anything, she wants her brother and sister to play with her. But she's too much of a baby for them, so she's left to her own devices - including her wild imagination and untiring energy. Her siblings may roll their eyes at her childish games, but Dory has lots of things to do: outsmarting the monsters all over the house, escaping from prison (aka time-out), and exacting revenge on her sister's favorite doll.
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Love this book!
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Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them. Chance, a real dog, has been in Dogtown since his owners unwittingly left him with irresponsible dog-sitters who skipped town. Metal Head is a robot dog who dreams of being back in a real home. And Mouse is a mouse who has the run of Dogtown, pilfering kibble, and performing clever feats to protect the dogs he loves. When Chance and Metal Head embark on an adventure to find their forever homes, there is danger, cheese sandwiches, a charging station, and some unexpected kindness.
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Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent, and not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again. Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?
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Life Circumstances are Different for Every Family
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Fish in a Tree
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of.
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Great book but...not just dyslexia
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By: Lynda Hunt
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Willodeen
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Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favorites are the most unlovable beasts in the land: strange beasts known as “screechers”. The villagers of Perchance call them pests, even monsters, but Willodeen believes the animals serve a vital role in the complicated web of nature. Lately, though, nature has seemed angry indeed. Perchance has been cursed with fires and mudslides, droughts and fevers, and even the annual migration of hummingbears, a source of local pride and income, has dwindled.
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A beautiful story, well narrated
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The Thing About Luck
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Performance
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Story
Summer knows that kouun means good luck in Japanese, and this year her family has none of it. Just when she thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents away to Japan - right before harvest season. Summer and her little brother, Jaz, are left in the care of their grandparents, who come out of retirement in order to harvest wheat and help pay the bills.
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I also read the book
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Clayton Byrd Goes Underground
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Clayton feels most alive when he's with his grandfather, Cool Papa Byrd, and the band of Bluesmen - he can't wait to join them, just as soon as he has a blues song of his own. But then the unthinkable happens. Cool Papa Byrd dies, and Clayton's mother forbids Clayton from playing the blues. And Clayton knows that's no way to live. Armed with his grandfather's brown porkpie hat and his harmonica, he runs away from home in search of the Bluesmen, hoping he can join them on the road.
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Horrible Book to say the least
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The Lion of Mars
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Bell has spent his whole life—all eleven years of it—on Mars. But he's still just a regular kid—he loves cats and any kind of cake, and is curious about the secrets the adults in the US colony are keeping. Like, why don't they have contact with anyone on the other Mars colonies? Why are they so isolated? When a virus breaks out and the grown-ups all fall ill, Bell and the other children are the only ones who can help. It's up to Bell—a regular kid in a very different world—to uncover the truth and save his family...and possibly unite an entire planet.
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That the rats got on the ship
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By: Jennifer L. Holm
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The Magician's Elephant
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Overall
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When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (An elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that Peter can hardly dare to believe it. But it is - all of it - true.
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Yes, the Impossible!
- By Gillian on 11-17-16
By: Kate DiCamillo
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The One and Only Ivan
- By: Katherine Applegate, Patricia Castelao
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.
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Very nice story
- By Ed on 09-03-13
By: Katherine Applegate, and others
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The Very, Very Far North
- The Very, Very Far North, Book 1
- By: Dan Bar-el
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 3 hrs and 23 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
An inquisitive polar bear named Duane befriends an array of animals as he discovers where he belongs in this charming classic-in-the making.
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So cute!
- By Kalendy on 06-17-24
By: Dan Bar-el