Sounder Audiobook By William H. Armstrong cover art

Sounder

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Sounder

By: William H. Armstrong
Narrated by: Avery Brooks
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The Newbery Medal-winning classic novel about the courage and faith - and the love of a dog - that give a family strength in the face of inhumanity.

The boy knows that times are tough for his family. Every night, his father goes out hunting with their great coon dog, Sounder, to try to put food on the table. But even with the little they bring back, there is still never enough for the family to eat.

When the boy awakens one morning to a sweet-smelling ham on the table, it seems like a blessing. But soon, the sheriff and his deputies come to the house and take the boy's father away in handcuffs. Suddenly the boy must grow up fast in a world that isn't fair, keeping hope alive through the love he has for his father's faithful dog, Sounder. Listeners who enjoy timeless dog stories such as Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows will find much to love in Sounder, even as they listen through tears at times.

©1969 William H. Armstrong (P)2006 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Classics Literature & Fiction Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Family Classics
Sounder

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Sounder, a Newbery Medal-winning novel, is a poignant tale of resilience and hope set in the rural South. The story's precise time and location are deliberately left ambiguous, lending it a timeless quality that resonates with readers across generations. Armstrong refrains from using character names, instead referring to them by their roles or relationships.

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Critic reviews

  • 1970 Newbery Medal Winner

"The magnificent trained bass of Avery Brooks is a beautiful compliment to Armstong's prose; words and voice clearly paint images and evoke emotional responses from the listener." (AudioFile)
Moving Storytelling • Poetic Language • Excellent Narration • Educational Value • Emotional Impact • Deep Resonant Voice
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This book has a lot is details and
It is a sad story
Sounder is the best book I've read

Awsome book

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Sad but riveting story about the bond between man and dog! The narrator was amazing.

Beautiful Story about a man and his dog!

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Excellent listen...the reader really enhanced the experience. What sad history but so worth the knowing.

Sad but powerful!

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My 5th grader chose this for one of his book reports. This was a good “coming of age” book for him to read. I think it definitely broadened his view on life and history.

Skillfully written, astounding narration!

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Not a typical read for me. I guess I didn’t like the fact that the name of the main character was “the boy”... I don’t recall a name. Just couldn’t relate, sorry.

This book was ok...

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Great story and boy and his dog. Narrator was very specific and made the story better.

Awesome book and narrator

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We like this book because it gives you a lesson on not to give up.
We dislike this book because the father and the dog dies.

Sounder

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loved it great reading voice and the content was a little tough to deal with for me

great book sad though I don't do well with this su

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I am rediscovering the best books from my early reading days. I distinctly remember ordering this title from the Scholastic book catalogue. It made a lasting impression then and it was just as enjoyable now, 50 years after that first reading. The performance was excellent, as well.

As good as I remembered it being when I first read it as a selection from the Scholastic book catalogue

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I thought the narrator was excellent. The story is sad. It does emphasize how education is important.

Such a sad story

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