Viva Durant is an ordinary teenager who becomes an amateur detective while visiting her grandmother in New Orleans. In the series opener, she investigates an article claiming that a secret treasure map is hidden in the words of the hand-clapping rhyme “Miss Mary Mack.” Viva’s most recent adventure was just released, and I’m thrilled to share it with you today.

Viva Durant is an Audible series for mystery-loving kids ages 8-12. The stories are lighthearted, adventurous, and fun, beginning with bestseller Viva Durant and the Secret of the Silver Buttons, followed by Viva Durant and the Madness of Madame Bouchard (Book #2), and the NEW RELEASE Viva Durant and the Mystery at the Masquerade Ball (Book #3). I definitely recommend listening to the books consecutively, but #3 can be fully enjoyed after #1 if your child’s rebellious literary spirit leads them to listen to the books out of order.

It’s Mardi Gras time in New Orleans and Viva Durant, the teenage sleuth, is taking a break from mystery solving to celebrate with her family. Paired up with her precocious-yet-pesky pal Reece, Viva’s too busy navigating the daunting world of debutantes too get caught up in the unsolved cases of Crescent City. But the festivities take a sharp turn when there’s a blackout at the Mardi Gras Ball – and Viva’s grandmother goes missing!  Join Viva as she zips through the streets of the French Quarter and the West Bank tracking big bucks and bad guys in her most personal caper yet.

Viva Durant and the Mystery at the Masquerade Ball (Book #3)

Folks, this is not your average audiobook. The amazing Bahni Turpin narrates, it’s peppered with fantastic sound effects, and talented author Ashli St. Armant provides amazing music throughout. Listening to Viva Durant takes listeners back to the days of radio programming when stories were dynamically told, capturing the full attention of anyone within earshot. It’s perfect for family car rides, but feel free to let your kiddos listen away with earphones, as I don’t have any content warnings for these books.

Though the main character, Viva Durant, is fourteen years old, I think the series will appeal most to upper elementary and middle school readers. Having younger kids listening in won’t be an issue, so little siblings may also enjoy the stories if they’re okay with some fun, suspenseful sleuthing.

Author Ashli St. Armant is known for her award-winning work in children’s education and entertainment, including her family music band, Jazzy Ash and Leaping Lizards. She’s also currently touring with her debut theatrical production, NORTH, which explores Black American life during the antebellum period with a full range of freedom-seeker experiences. I had the pleasure of catching up with the multi-talented Ashli in an interview where we discussed “all the things,” including her music, stage work, and, of course… books! You won’t want to miss our chat:

If your family becomes big Viva Durant fans, as I expect they will, your kids may enjoy diving farther into Louisiana culture in Sweet Tea & Cookies, a multicultural family celebration of the American South. In this enrichment guide, I’ve curated plenty of books, poetry, music, handicrafts, and, of course, recipes from New Orleans as children “visit” Louisiana along with five other Southern states (Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi).

Still want more? Here are a few additional titles (not included in Sweet Tea & Cookies) that Viva Durant fans will surely enjoy. All three titles address important topics related to Hurricane Katrina in age-appropriate ways. I recommend reading them after experiencing the beautiful and joyful culture of New Orleans in Viva Durant.

Catch up with author Ashli St. Armant on Instagram or Facebook. You can find me on socials chatting about excellent books like these and more at @heritagemomblog.