The S.O.U.R.C.E.


Children - Audiobook
Audio Book
Reviewed on 02/22/2022
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Suzanna L. Royse became fascinated with animals at an early age, growing up on a ranch and living along the coast of California.
With Scripps Institute of Oceanography and tide pools within walking distance, the San Diego Zoo, their Safari Park, and Sea World basically in her backyard, she had countless opportunities to experience, explore, and intimately learn about animals from all over the world.
Her experiences at those renowned facilities dealing with the care, study, and management of both land and sea animals formed the beginning of her awareness of the need to protect them as well as the environment.
Thirty years of breeding and training horses and instructing young riders further expanded her understanding of the deep relationships between humans and animals.
Understanding that manmade pollution presents a major threat to the ocean, the source and engine of all life, Suzanna decided to focus on what she might be able to do to increase awareness, especially with children.
Knowing how animals had profoundly influenced her own life and with over twenty years of work in children’s theater, as well as her equestrian training and teaching, she decided to use animal
characters as a means of introducing children to the importance of protecting the environment.
Her hope is young readers will be inspired by The S.O.U.R.C.E. to get involved in protecting the environment by simply recycling as the first step on a path of caring for a lifetime and making a difference.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jacob R LaMar for Readers' Favorite

The S.O.U.R.C.E. is a children’s novel written for readers between the ages of 8 and 12. Created by Suzanna Lou Royse, The S.O.U.R.C.E. follows the story of a ragtag band of aquatic animals in their quest to escape Ocean World and make their way home to the sea. Simultaneously, two skaters, Ryder and Silk, make their way to the ocean on the trail of some washed-out trash. When an unexpected swell tosses the two children into the ocean, they find themselves in desperate need of some friends. It is then that these two tales converge in the unlikeliest of ways. Join Ryder, Silk, Nikki, Duster, Bubba, Rio, and many others as they realize the ocean is the source of all life on the planet, and embark on a quest to protect the sea

While listening to this story, I found The S.O.U.R.C.E. was written like a children’s version of a Walt Morey book, which is my way of paying a great compliment to the author Royse, and the way the narrative unfolds. It also had many similarities in the way the animals think and speak to the writing of C.S. Lewis in The Chronicles of Narnia. The author does a wonderful job of portraying each animal with believable characteristics while imbuing them with a human-like quality. Along with a well-written script and cleverly thought-out plot, The S.O.U.R.C.E. possesses a valuable lesson that it fleshes out for its audience. It doesn’t try to mask its true intentions and is all the better for it. I would recommend this to young readers who can finish a chapter book, though it would also be suitable for parents in need of bedtime story material. My gratitude to the author for allowing me to partake in this story which I plan to buy for my own children soon.

Narrated by Frankie Corzo, the audiobook was nicely presented, with well-paced and believable voices. The professional sound mixing by Deyan Audio provided a high-quality feel and helped the story stay fresh.

Sheena Monnin

The S.O.U.R.C.E. by Suzanna L. Royse takes the reader on a fantastic adventure that showcases the power of teamwork to instigate positive change within a community and beyond. The main human characters - Silk and Sky - learn valuable lessons on the importance of preserving the health of the ocean and the environment through an encounter with the Sea Spirit. Parallel to their adventure and awakening to the importance of each choice they make to help or harm the planet, some friendly animals recount their own adventures and do their best to help injured sea animals find their way home. This story reveals in a youth-friendly way the consequences to animals that come from humans being irresponsible in the way we run businesses, engage in recreational activities, and dispose of trash and other unwanted items. The Source gives a positive outcome to the youths' actions, Silk and Sky, as they bring in the community and its leaders to build a better environment for our land and sea animal friends.

All too often, we can overlook the impact of our daily choices concerning the health of our planet. The S.O.U.R.C.E. by Suzanna L. Royse takes the reader on a journey of thinking beyond the present moment and considering the longer-term consequences that may come from how we interact with the oceans and land today. I appreciated the vivid examples of how our behaviors as humans impact animals and some small and large ways we can begin to change how we view the relationship between our choices as humans and the results within our planet from those choices. The author writes with candor and hope and sets up the reader to want to take a positive action step by the end of the story. The S.O.U.R.C.E. is an enjoyable read packed full of surprises and with an uplifting message.

The S.O.U.R.C.E. was narrated by Frankie Corzo. Her vocal interpretation and delivery of the various characters' personalities in the book were entertaining. I appreciated the narrator's pitch and pacing throughout the story. Her enthusiasm will appeal to any child or youth listening to this audiobook.

Rylanne Burdette

The S.O.U.R.C.E. by Suzanna Lou Royse is an adventure-filled educational story that follows a great group of characters. Several ocean animal friends band together to make their home a better place and team up with a few humans, Ryder, Silk, and C.J., to make it happen. With the help of a special guardian angel, this group opens people's eyes to the dangers of throwing trash in the ocean while growing closer to each other and making new friends.

Suzanna Lou Royse did a wonderful job of creating a story both entertaining and full of interesting and important information that needs to be shared with a younger audience. The cast of characters, both animal and human, was fun to hear about, and I especially enjoyed the scenes with Angel. The S.O.U.R.C.E. is a great learning resource for both children and parents because so many people are unaware of how many dangers come from littering and not caring about trash. Animals and the environment are harmed because of this problem. The author shares this in a way that engages with audiences.

The audiobook quality of The S.O.U.R.C.E. was well done, especially with the narrator adopting different tones and voices for some characters. The pacing was good overall, with just a few spots that felt awkward or slow. I enjoy listening to audiobooks, and The S.O.U.R.C.E. was immersive and fun. For families who like listening to music and books around the house, I recommend The S.O.U.R.C.E. by Suzanna Lou Royse! It is a must-listen!

Rabia Tanveer

The S.O.U.R.C.E. by Suzanna Lou Royse is a children’s fiction audiobook that will make the perfect companion for your child as they fall asleep. Set in the Ocean World Marine Mammal Entertainment Park, our heroes Jaxx the sea lion, Duster the pelican, and Nikki the gray whale make it their mission to help their new friends get back to their families. Patches is a baby otter, Rio is an orca, and Bubba is a beluga whale. They are at the veterinary hospital at Ocean World, and it is now up to Duster, Nikki, and Jaxx to find a way back home for them. All these animals are victims of ocean pollution, but they will not let the dangers of pollution hold them back. Instead, they will enlist the help of skateboard champions Sky Ryder and Silk (with a little nudge from the Sea Spirit) to make people realize what they are doing to the ocean. Together, the animals and the humans will work to stop people from damaging the ocean before it is too late.

Perfect for children eight and above (although I enjoyed it a lot), the audiobook has the right amount of action and twists to keep children entertained. I am a huge fan of Frankie Corzo after listening to her narration of We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire, and I am already aware of how versatile she is with the stories she narrates. She breathes life into her characters and makes them come alive. She keeps the message of the story intact while also putting her special brand of magic into the story.

The story drives the message home that our children are truly the future. The narrative is powerful in its simplicity and allows the audience to enjoy the message. I am in awe of how the author can convey her message while also maintaining the integrity of the story. Imaginative and entertaining, the band of animal heroes is spunky and lovable. Nikki, Jaxx, Dusty, Bubba, Rio, and Patches are memorable and integral to the story. Ryder and Silk are the perfect human companions to teach the audience what they need to do to protect our oceans and marine life. Perfectly entertaining and interesting, this is an audiobook I would highly recommend to everyone.

Cassie Widjaja

The S.O.U.R.C.E. by Suzanna Lou Royse is an exceptional audiobook for children aged 8-12. Following a charismatic group of marine animals and their human, mischievous friends, this children's fable will take you on an epic adventure that teaches the importance of friendship, teamwork, and protecting the environment. As the book contains a song, pledge, and many pages of captivating illustrations and fun facts, you definitely won't be bored exploring it!

Whether it's the eye-catching illustrations or its very own song, The S.O.U.R.C.E. truly has it all. Exploring the book reminds me of childish wonder and excitement when faced with something new at every turn. I loved the characterization of the main characters, and I also found myself relating to Ryder's bad habit of throwing trash around irresponsibly. Suzanna Lou Royse perfectly described the dangers that improper handling of waste could pose to marine animals and how it can lead to the pollution of our beautiful ocean. I believe that children should be taught from a young age to protect the environment. Instead of excusing their behavior because of their age, this book teaches kids that they, too, can make a difference. For anyone looking for a fun book to explore with your child, this book is for you!

The narrator of this audiobook was Frankie Maria Corzo. An Earphones Award winner, Frankie doesn't disappoint with The S.O.U.R.C.E. Her voice constantly changes to reflect the character who's speaking at the moment, making it easy to forget that you are listening to one narrator.