Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, read by Ethan Herisse

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens.

Ethan Herisse narrates Punching the Air, a poignant novel in verse, with a soft, slow, and somber tone, conveying all the intense emotions of Amal, a teenage boy who was wrongly incarcerated. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed about this powerful audiobook, co-written by author Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonerated Five. Both poets’ brilliance shines in every line, and as the verses build and deepen, Herisse increases the earnestness of Amal’s journey to hold onto hope.

***

To listen to the rest of the episode, as well as the whole archive of Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine, subscribe and listen on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts.

Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.