Audiobooks for Ages 8+

This history of black culture performed by a talented ensemble of eight voices is a listening treasure. Cleverly presented in 29 short episodes, the verse and soundscape elucidate a chronological account of events and people who played small and monumental roles in the history of black America—black astronauts, political leaders, business entrepreneurs. Listeners can enjoy the... Read More

Employing a subtle use of pitch and accent, narrator Johnny Heller differentiates the voices of a wide array of characters in the opening volume of a planned fantasy-adventure series. When a group of young people are conscripted into the dreaded Adventurers Guild, they learn just how dangerous it is to protect Freestone, one of the last cities standing against the monsters... Read More

Narrator Zehra Jane Naqvi transports listeners to 1942 India, where the nation's fight for independence from the British Empire is taking place. Ten-year-old Anjali fears her father will acquiesce to Mahatma Gandhi's request for all Indian families to send a family member to the resistance movement. When her mother becomes involved instead and is arrested, Anjali learns about... Read More

This sweet story about middle school kids coming to terms with their cultural identity seeks empathy--if not relatability--from its listeners. Priya Ayyar does a good job inviting listeners to consider multiple points of view in her compelling narration. Ayyar is especially skilled at capturing the earnestness and fear that accompany feeling like an outsider in middle school.... Read More

Kenny Ramos and DeLanna Studi narrate with warmth as they bring a memorable intertribal powwow to life for listeners. Sixteen Indigenous authors weave together diverse stories in celebration of coming together as a community while also highlighting the young protagonists' many different personalities and experiences. Ramos narrates the boys' stories in a lively and youthful... Read More

A full cast works together seamlessly in this charming magical adventure. As the story’s narrator, Tavia Gilbert is crisply engaged, and she’s spirited as young Bee, the baker’s apprentice. Kenneth Cavett, with his rich and resonant voice, is a standout as kindly baker Master Bouts, and Robin Miles is a hoot as pirate captain Zafira Zay. The care in the production is... Read More

India Opal Buloni walks into the Winn-Dixie in her new hometown of Naomi, Florida, for a box of macaroni and cheese, two tomatoes, and white rice and comes out with a dog--a mangy, homeless, smiling dog. And her life changes forever. Motherless Opal and that dog aren't so different, each looking for the comfort of home and people to love them. Tony Award-winning actress Cherry... Read More

In a new episode, Dion Graham meets the challenge of narrating a historical time-travel series by maintaining consistency with the young heroes, Dak, Sera, and Riq. The trio is sent back to fix whatever history has been altered by the evil SQ. Graham adopts accents and changes tone and intensity as needed to depict the brand-new cast of characters the trio encounters in WWII... Read More

Set in the eleventh-century Jewish empire Khazaria, the story of 12-year-old Ziva and her twin brother, Pesah, is lovingly narrated by Rebecca Gibel. Pesah has leprosy. When their parents announce they are sending him away to die, the twins leave home to find a cure. Listeners hear urgency and desperation as they try to outrace Pesah's death, which he has envisioned will occur... Read More

Author and editor Kwame Mbalia brings an outstanding ensemble of Black male and non-binary writers together in this timely audio anthology. Seventeen works portray the power of joy in Black boys’ lives. The opening story’s compelling message on the importance of sharing moments of joy creates a thematic framework for the collection. Every author’s contribution—whether funny,... Read More

Hazel’s best and only friend, Jack, has disappeared, yet no one else seems to notice. Hazel fears the worst and embarks on a quest to save her friend from a wicked ice queen in an enchanted land. The world of fairy tales can be dangerous, but for Hazel the real world of fifth grade is worse, so she’s up to the task at hand. Kirby Heyborne is a bit too slow paced in his delivery... Read More

Author Padma Venkatraman narrates her own work, displaying the depth of feeling and caring between 11-year-old Viji and her 12-year-old intellectually disabled sister, Rukku. They flee an abusive home only to face new vulnerability in the city of Chennai when their money is stolen and they must live on the streets. Venkatraman describes the developing bonds as the sisters form... Read More

Bud Caldwell, a 10-year-old vagabond orphan in pursuit of his long lost father from Flint to Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the quintessential endearing hero. Bud's first-person narrative demands an enthusiastic and versatile reader. James Avery is all that and more. His Bud is charming and sincere, and the cast of characters, presented with endless variations in voicing, is... Read More

Narrator Adam McArthur's youthful intonation and energetic cadence animate 12-year-old Caleb, whose desire to embrace a more independent lifestyle is stymied by cystic fibrosis. To avoid spending his summer in day camp, Caleb escapes to the woods to spend time with a new, seemingly magical, friend, Kit, who encourages him to abandon his well-regulated life with his protective... Read More

Stephen Briggs, who has dramatized many of Pratchett’s books for the stage and audio, is the best choice to narrate this 1971 classic. First, there is only flatness; then come the carpet and tribes of carpet people. After their village is destroyed by the mysterious force called Fray, the Munrungs tribe treks across the carpet of hairs and dust to find a new home. Briggs... Read More

Listeners won't look at the discarded things around them in the same way after hearing this poetry collection on audio. With a warm voice and a storyteller's cadence, Young People's Poet Laureate Naomi Shihab Nye shares her experiences as a self-appointed trash collector, armed with gardening gloves, tongs, and a bag. Nye's appealing and engaging narration style makes her... Read More

Narrator Laraine Newman infuses magic into this story about children who discover a friendship that goes beyond time and place. Americans Tess and her brother, Max, are spending the summer in Hampshire, England, with their aunt. Newman captures the children’s initial reticence about their visit, separation from their father, and lack of access to the Internet, and reveals how... Read More

Dion Graham offers an exciting narration of this installment in the Infinity Ring series. Dak, Sera, and Riq fix breaks in time; this time their adventures take them to Baghdad. Their mission to save history requires them to prevent the world's greatest library from being destroyed. The story is full of high stakes, and Dion Graham provides an excellent pace. His contemplative... Read More

When you think of CHARLE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, it’s easy to think of the movies, with their over-the-top visual wackiness. But this audio production brings out the real magic of Roald Dahl’s writing. Narrator Douglas Hodge savors every scrumptious word as Charlie Bucket, destitute and starving, defies the odds by winning a golden ticket to tour Willy Wonka’s chocolate... Read More

Vibrant L.A. will leap into the minds of listeners in this audio homage to Korean-American chef Roy Choi’s path to street food stardom. The accompanying picture book’s illustrations are eye-popping, and Los Angeles-based graffiti artist Man One’s narration has a style all his own, especially his rap delivery of the book’s short cooking poems. Co-author and co-narrator June Jo... Read More

Narrator Dion Graham's soft voice evokes the tenderness between biracial middle schooler "Scoob" Lamar and G'ma, his white octogenarian grandmother. There are many other moods in this audio as well, and Graham succeeds with all of them. There's surprise as Graham's squeaky-voiced G'ma carries him off on a road trip in a new Winnebago, then sadness when he learns she's sold her... Read More

Move over, Ramona, Judy Moody, and Junie B.! Clementine, an imaginative third-grader and a great and loyal friend, has arrived. Clementine constantly hears reminders from teachers and the principal to “pay attention.” Clementine knows she does pay attention . . . better than anyone else, including the adults. “Okay, fine,” her attention is on the wrong things, but her... Read More

In alternating chapters, narrators Priya Ayyar and Christopher Gebauer emotionally connect to Varsha Bajaj’s story, which highlights some of today’s hot topics: immigration and diversity, bullying, and the sharing of personal information on social media. Karina’s grandfather, who grew up in India, comes to live with her family and begins tutoring Chris, the boy next door, who... Read More

The fourth book in the Infinity Ring series finds Sera, Dak, and Riq visiting the ancient Mayans to fix a rip in time. Dion Graham narrates a fun time-travel adventure, making history engaging with his deep voice. Graham's narration adds suspense to the trio's adventure, and when the stakes are high, he knows just how to keep listeners on edge. He also excels at bringing comic... Read More

Presented with a full cast, this story is a delightful romp from Scotland to Connecticut via the Enchanted Realm with Angus Cairns, a curse-carrying brownie. Euan Morton, as the kind but fiery-tempered brownie, steals the show with his heavy Scots brogue and animated dialogue. Morton’s comic timing is perfect for Angus’s wry observations of his new life in the relatively... Read More

Dion Graham’s rich and varied range of voices creates an animated performance in the second installment of the Infinity Ring series. In this time-travel tale, 11-year-old Sera and her friends, Dak and Riq, are using the infinity ring to correct major events in history. Here they find themselves in medieval France. Graham embodies Sera with an unwavering voice of... Read More

Narrator Julian Rhind-Tutt's delivery is as varied as the diverse characters in this story collection, written when the author was a teenager. The introduction is pure Pratchett as he tells his young audience how he came to be a writer. In the title story, young Ralph sounds appropriately nervous because he must fill in for "real" knights who are on vacation or out sick. The... Read More

THE DREAMER would be an outstanding story in itself, but the fact that it is a fictionalized profile of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda lifts it to even greater heights. Neruda was born Neftali Reyes, a sickly dreamer who continually crossed his domineering father. He changed his name because his father was ashamed he was a poet. Narrator Tony Chiroldes is grand. He clearly... Read More

Brian Amador’s narration, space-age music, and a multitude of sound effects come together fantastically in this audio and picture book pairing about the life of sound artist Juan García Esquivel, known as “Esquivel!” Listeners learn of Esquivel’s childhood and love of music, and all the ways he discovered to imitate the world through sound. The audiobook is perfect for children... Read More

Nick Podehl's dynamic narration is well suited to the nonstop action of Canfield's middle-grade fantasy. The character of Ethan is introduced at a baseball game--his lack of athletic prowess makes him seem like an ordinary boy. But when Ethan gets home and discovers a glowing green puddle of light on the stairs, he falls into a world filled with dragons and danger--a world he... Read More

When their small plane crashes and the pilot dies, four children are stranded alone in the Amazon jungle. Thus begins an exhilarating and sometimes harrowing old-fashioned adventure that comes beautifully, vibrantly alive on audio. Narrator Peter Noble is utterly convincing as Fred, Con, Lila, and, especially, 5-year-old Max. With subtle variations, Noble gives them all... Read More

This intercultural story of pen pals introduces us to two young people: Abby, who needs to address her lack of interest in school by completing a letter-writing project, and Sadeed, who’s helping out his sister, who has less education than he. Gabra Zackman’s thoughtful portrayal of Abby and Sadeed’s exchanges demonstrates how each character comes to think differently about the... Read More

In a light Southern drawl, narrator Dion Graham delivers the achingly mournful story of 11-year-old Langston. This first novel gracefully explores many themes of post-WWII African-American life through the first-person narrative of its young protagonist. Langston’s beloved mother has died, and in an attempt to escape both memories and discrimination, his father joins the Great... Read More

Siblings Kate, Michael, and Emma, fresh from their inaugural quest, are back in the throes of time travel and adventure. Jim Dale, who is renowned for his robust characterizations of fantastical creatures, is in his element, enlivening the dwarfs, elves, dragons, and otherworldly beings encountered here. Dale’s pacing is exquisite as Kate is whisked to the past while Michael... Read More

In an unnamed country, a child of unspecified age and gender, nicknamed Tiger, flees the ravages of war with the help of aid-worker parents, a wise and compassionate guide, a burro, and a fish that Tiger has rescued from a drying puddle. Danger lurks around every bend--soldiers, bandits, inhospitable terrain, lack of food and water. Despite the bleakness of the story, Matthews... Read More

Narrator Ralph Lister’s tone is warm and authoritative—like a nice cup of hot toddy—a style that is perfect for a story set in England in 1910. Twelve-year-old Charles and 5-year-old Unity undertake a quest to get rid of the Flint Heart, which turned their father into a cold and conniving person. Lister’s vocal characterizations are excellent. Every affectation reflects and... Read More

Listeners will need to hold on to their headphones as author DiCamillo and narrator Tara Sands treat them to a madcap adventure that bounces between quirky human characters and a squirrel with superhero dreams who also writes poetry. Ten-year-old Flora Belle Buckman witnesses said squirrel being disgorged from her neighbor Tootie Tickhams’s Ulysses Super-Suction Multi-Terrain... Read More

Georgette Perna’s deft narration enhances Holm’s story of a generation gap gone haywire. How do you cope when your grandfather turns up as a teenager who becomes your babysitter and draws you into a daring B and E of his former science lab? Perna voices 12-year-old Ellie’s wacky adventures with glee. Her tones contrast well with the voice of Ellie’s exasperated mother, who... Read More

Based on an 1828 estate appraisal that included 11 enslaved men, women, and children, this audiobook is a heartrending exploration of what slavery meant to those who were deemed “property.” It leaps from the pages through the commanding performances of Patricia R. Floyd and Kevin R. Free. Their emotionally connected narration leaves no doubt as to the cruelty of a system that... Read More

Narrator Sunny Lu lives up to her first name in portraying Mia Tang. Lu captures the fifth grader’s qualities of cheer, ingenuity, and resilience. Mia’s parents, who are Chinese immigrants, work 24/7 to scrape together a living in 1990s Anaheim, California. When they find a motel to manage, plucky Mia enthusiastically takes responsibility for the front desk. Lu fills her... Read More

Narrator Kirby Heyborne’s approachable style makes this heartwarming piece of historical fiction all the more engaging. Ten-year-old Beans Curry is a natural leader whose gang follows his lead on everything as they move around Depression-era Key West, Florida. Times are hard, and all of the townspeople scoff at the “New Dealers,” government agents sent to turn the town into a... Read More

In this companion book to GOBLIN SECRETS, author William Alexander narrates his heroine Kaile’s venture away from the steampunk city of Zombay. When she plays a bone flute given to her by a goblin, a dizzying series of events is set in motion—separation from her own shadow, expulsion from her home, and a quest to find the original owner of the flute. Can Kalie save herself, her... Read More

Listen to a narrator who transitions deftly between the different voices in a complex audiobook. Welcome to the seventeenth-century world of Maria Merian, born into an artistic family but a girl with the heart and conviction of a scientist. From an early age, Maria spent time in the field observing, first insects, then butterflies and moths, and also amphibians—all creatures... Read More

Lorna Raver gives a warmly avuncular performance of Geraldine McCaughrean's novel, redolent of 1800s Americana. The large and lively cast of good-hearted characters (and some memorable baddies) embarks on improbable adventures on a derelict steamship drifting down the Missouri River. Raver doesn’t miss an opportunity to enhance the book’s humor—and there’s plenty of it, in the... Read More

With author and former actor William Alexander as narrator, this National Book Award winner is a treat. In the steampunk city of Zombay, Young Rownie runs away from his “grandmother” protector and teams up with a troupe of outlawed goblin actors, all the while searching for his missing older brother, Rowan. Time is of the essence as Zombay’s river is about to flood, and only... Read More

With youthful immediacy, Imani Parks narrates this slice-of-life story about a smart, well-behaved seventh-grader named Shayla. Shay hopes to avoid trouble as she navigates typical middle school rites of passage such as first crushes and shifting social dynamics. But after attending a Black Lives Matter protest with her family, she begins to consider her African-American... Read More

Listeners will start grinning from the very first words of this production as narrator Dion Graham and author/artist Christopher Myers talk over each other, jockeying to introduce the story. Two young friends hit the basketball court to play a game of H.O.R.S.E. and trade trash talk—an impossible game that quickly moves beyond the court into the realm of the fantastic and all... Read More

Listeners will be fascinated by these original stories from Hans Christian Andersen—no Disney adaptations here. They’re richly voiced by F. Murray Abraham and enlivened by a cast of acclaimed narrators who add playful differentiation to the many characters. The tales range from the familiar “Thumbelina,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “The Princess and the Pea” to those less well... Read More

N’Jameh Camara narrates the emotive narrative of biracial Haley, who describes increasingly honest conversations among six classmates along with her own undisclosed truths. In this unique audio, six narrators represent characters in shared dialogues. Toshi Widoff-Woodson, portraying an African-American girl, is defensive and a bit spoiled. Dean Flanagan is reticent Ashton, a... Read More

If you haven't heard of Harry Potter then you haven't turned on your TV or radio or opened a newspaper in the last few months. For the uninitiated, Harry is a young orphan who is living with his nasty relatives when he's summoned to claim his magical heritage by attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. What could be better (or more satisfying to children) than... Read More

A full cast, including the author and audio luminaries such as Jayne Entwistle, Kirby Heyborne, Scott Brick, Paul Boehmer, and Arthur Morey, joins narrators Matthew Frow and Jeremy Gumbs, enlarging the humor in this story. The featured character is a poetry-writing griffin named Gerald, whose anxiety often gets the better of him. The story is told by Gerald and his human... Read More

Shaun Taylor-Corbett's narration breathes life into this Navajo fantasy. Summer with grandmother and Uncle Jet on the Navajo reservation lacks many creature comforts for Nathan. To fill his time, he wanders into the nearby desert, where he finds a sickly water monster and then goes on a quest to obtain a cure for the Holy Being and, perhaps, his Uncle Jet. Taylor-Corbett dives... Read More

Ramon de Ocampo and Amielynn Abellera narrate this charming story, told from four points of view. We meet shy Virgil, brave Valencia, bullying Chet, and fortune-telling Kaori, whose middle school lives fatefully intersect one summer day. De Ocampo perfectly captures Virgil’s painful timidity—and just as easily brings to life Lola, Virgil’s wise, sassy Filipino grandmother, who... Read More

Fourteen stellar narrators each read one short story in this anthology by a diverse group of authors. The fictional stories all feature ordinary young people performing extraordinary acts of kindness and friendship. Some are large and heroic, and some are seemingly small but still meaningful. Most memorable is "Reina Madrid" by R.J. Palacio, in which narrator Frankie Corzo... Read More

This 2006 Newbery winner is filled with superb characterizations, and the talented Cassandra Campbell turns each into a splendid dramatic opportunity. The eccentric heroine is 10-year-old Lucky, who entertains herself by eavesdropping on AA meetings at the Found Object Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center. Campbell slips into the Southern drawl of one of the "anonymous people"... Read More

Enjoy this warm performance by Matthew Bridges as Elliott, who is still adjusting to his parents' divorce. Elliott doesn't think his father takes his ADHD or his dream to become a chef seriously. More immediately, he needs to come up with six hundred dollars to replace a window he accidentally broke and to find a partner for a school project after his friends reject him.... Read More

It's almost impossible to select narrator Rebecca Soler's best character in this gem for young listeners. Ten-year-old Melody Bishop's mother died when she was a baby. Since then, it's always been just she and her dad—until she hears him call someone “honey” over the phone. Soler is self-assured and bright as Melody, her best friend, Nick, and her kind dad. Other memorable... Read More

David Tennant's lovely Scots brogue--so ancient and romantic sounding--is ideal for a tale of pirates who are on an expedition to a remote island to search for treasure. But this is no ordinary adventure; it's an over-the-top experience of music, whistles, and wordplay. Tennant throws himself into it all with maximum enthusiasm, creating distinct and hilarious characters.... Read More

Author Tony Medina pays tribute to legendary musician, poet, and activist Bob Marley in this outstanding production narrated by Jaime Lincoln Smith. Nesta Robert Marley's life, from his impoverished childhood in Jamaica to his untimely death at 36, is explored in a collection of 17 free-verse poems for young listeners. Smith's Jamaican accent and spot-on delivery animate the... Read More

Twelve-year-old Igraine longs to become a knight, but her family of magicians can’t understand her dream. When life at the family castle is threatened by the dastardly Greedy Osmund, Igraine’s skills in horsemanship and swordplay are pressed into action. Narrator Xanthe Elbrick has just the right touch for Igraine, whose courage and determination overshadow her youth and... Read More

In 1975, 10-year-old Hà escapes war-torn Vietnam with her mother and four older brothers. Narrator Doan Ly instantly captures the duality of language as we step out of Hà’s old life and into the foreign world of Alabama. Ly transitions deftly between Hà’s fluent thoughts, which are represented in English, and her stunted ability to communicate aloud in her new language. Both... Read More

Inside a Paris train station in 1932, a small boy named Hugo Cabret secretly keeps all the clocks running. Like the workings of a clock, the parts of this intriguing story interlock, and the audio program is a marvel in itself. Jeff Woodman narrates Hugo’s story, which introduces listeners to an automaton, a mechanical figure that writes and draws, and the early science fiction... Read More

Sixth-grader Jeremy Bender knows life will never be the same if he doesn't come up with the money to repair the damages he made to his family's antique motorboat. So he enlists the support of his best friend, Slater, and devises a plan to win $500 by entering the Windjammer Whirl model sailboat race. Unfortunately, the contest is only open to the Cupcake Cadets, an all-girls... Read More

Barbara Rosenblat gives a playful performance of this story about third-grader Judy Moody’s attempt to stay in a good mood for a full week. Rosenblat gives Judy an irrepressible voice as she tries to learn how to avoid her legendary bad moods by studying her compliant classmate, Jessica. Rosenblat accentuates the humor by creating goofy voices for Judy’s friends, who think... Read More

Despite this audiobook's dark historical setting, Carlotta Brentan delivers a glowing performance. Author Lia Levi recounts her childhood in Italy during WWII. Brentan captures a child's gradual understanding of why she can't go to her hometown school anymore, why her family must move to find work, and why she must drop her Jewish identity. The more Lia learns about Mussolini... Read More

O, my best beloved, what a feast is this collection of Kipling’s JUST SO STORIES! His luxurious language is meant to be heard, and storyteller Jim Weiss adds to the magic of these High and Far-Off Times. His narration is teeming with enthusiasm, immersing the listener in the humor and rhythm of Kipling’s picturesque language. Every character is animated with a voice brimming... Read More

Monika Felice Smith gives a perfect voice to Cora, the 12-year-old at the heart of Sarno's achingly beautiful debut novel about finding home in a world turned upside down. Since the death of her father, Cora must move from shelter to shelter to survive. Smith's emotionally connected narration wrings the pathos from Cora's situation without succumbing to melodrama. With her... Read More

Narrator Kate Simses’s portrayal of 12-year-old Emma is youthful, spunky, and, at times, tinged with the sadness of “the Big Empty,” a feeling that began with the recent death of Emma’s mother. Simses’s Southern accents give a sense of Black Bird Hollow and the Boneyard Café, owned by Emma’s tattooed, motorcycle-riding Granny Blue. Doing great justice to Lloyd’s colorful... Read More

Ron Butler lends expertise, elegance, and an unerring expressiveness to his heartbreakingly beautiful performance as King, a black tween living in Louisiana who is coping with the death of his older brother. When his ex-best friend, Sandy Sanders, goes missing and King finds him hiding in his backyard, he is forced to confront questions about himself and his grief. As the story... Read More

Frankie Corzo narrates this sci-fi thriller with the perfect combination of gusto and tenderness. Petra's family is supposed to be crossing the universe, headed toward a new life on Sagan. But when she awakens alone after 380 years in stasis, she finds that a frightening group of fanatics has taken over the ship and destroyed all memories of Earth--except hers. Petra is a... Read More

Sura Siu captivates as she narrates this breathtaking seafaring adventure. Sai is a bright-voiced, bold 12-year-old girl who is hoping to carve a new course for her life and leave her past behind. She’s thrilled when her assistantship to the bristly, demanding mapmaker Paiyoon yields an opportunity to join an expedition charting the Southern seas for the Mangkon kingdom. Sai... Read More

Dion Graham narrated the author's companion book, FINDING LANGSTON. Now he delivers the story of a minor character from that work, Lymon, the boy who bullied Langston. Graham's soft tones tell of Lymon's early years in 1940s Mississippi; the nurturing he received from his grandfather, with whom he shared a love of music; and his visits with his father at Parchman Prison.... Read More

In narrating Rudnick's novelization of the movie THE LION KING, Janina Edwards paints a beautiful verbal portrait of the Pride Lands, where the lions rule justly. In a voice as warm as sunshine, Edwards introduces listeners to King Mufasa and his queen, Sarabi, on the day they present their newborn cub, Simba, to the kingdom. Throughout the story, Edwards maintains a steady and... Read More

Narrator Jenna Lamia brings warmth and a strong sense of place to this charming and funny story of itinerant bakers who land in Halleluia, Mississippi. Eleven-year-old Emma has moved more times than she can count and is hesitant about making a new friend just to leave her again, but she thinks there might be something special about this town. Her five younger brothers acclimate... Read More

Tugs Button is one observant and determined 12-year-old. When the summer of 1929 takes a new turn with the arrival of a stranger in Goodhue, Iowa, it’s Tugs who persists in discovering what Mr. Moore is all about. As she collects information, she’s aided by loyal cousin Ned and surprisingly unsnobbish Aggie Milhouse. Laura Hamilton’s narration makes the quirky Button family and... Read More

In this final installment of Patron’s Hard Pan trilogy, 11-year-old Lucky’s adoptive mother’s café is under investigation, her friend’s mother is released from jail, and Lucky learns more than she anticipated when she creates a family tree. Lucky’s life in her tiny town in the Mojave Desert is full of dissecting owl pellets, reading about her hero, Charles Darwin, and... Read More

Farris shares intimate details of her brother, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and narrator Lynn Whitfield brings an immediate connection to the memoir. Her gentle voice speaks directly and firmly as she deepens our understanding of the person behind the name and the headlines. Her emotion is palpable as she describes the moment King looked out from his hotel room at the... Read More

Who better than Kate Winslet to narrate Dahl’s beloved children’s classic in its 25th-anniversary year? Winslet draws on her impressive experience to bring precocious Matilda and her crusade against insensitive and manipulating adults to new ears. Meet, or re-meet, Matilda’s obtuse family and battle-ax headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. Rejoice as Matilda, with the guidance of her... Read More

Narrator Frankie Corzo presents a realistic portrayal of a young, first-generation Cuban-American’s life in Florida. Sixth grader Merci Suárez is a scholarship student at an exclusive private school where she deals confidently with the class queen bee, boys, challenging school assignments, and preparing to try out for the school soccer team. At home, Merci lives with her... Read More

Fifth-grader Caitlin has Asperger’s syndrome, and author Kathryn Erskine sets her sights on getting listeners to see the world through that prism. Narrator Angela Rogers captures the exact tone of a 10-year-old girl. Rogers uses pacing and emphasis to create the perfect balance between Caitlin’s lack of empathy and her struggle to cope with the death of her beloved brother, who... Read More

Jordan is full of anxiety at the start of seventh grade, and this full-cast audiobook production of Craft’s graphic novel gives a peek into his life. Loving parents played by Robin Miles and Guy Lockard encourage Jordan to give his new private school a try, and as Jordan gets caught in a whirlwind of new classmates, listeners hear young voices bouncing off the walls. Jordan,... Read More

Clements, a former teacher, writes engaging stories set in public schools. In NO TALKING, Lynsey and Dave debate whether girls or boys are noisier, declaring a two-day war of silence in which the words of those who speak are counted against them. Narrator Keith Nobbs, whose voice is appropriately youthful, reproduces fifth-grade tones with uncanny accuracy. This tonal precision... Read More

Danny DeVito voices the part of Bob in the upcoming movie THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, and here he enhances the self-centered canine in this audiobook. DeVito's rough-and-tough humorous performance is a perfect fit for Bob. His narration of the free-form verses reveals Bob's sardonic nature. He's "never been accused of being a good dog." He eats cat litter, hogs the couch, and "may... Read More

Based on a true event, this heartbreaking but hopeful story centers around Ivan, a silverback gorilla who has lived in a circus-themed mall for many years. Narrator Adam Grupper energetically introduces Ivan as the wise elder he is. In contrast is a precious baby elephant, Ruby, who sounds just like a curious and adorable youngster. Bob the dog vocally exhibits his... Read More

In the summer of 1968, 11-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters are sent from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to visit their mother, who abandoned them seven years earlier. What they find is not what they expected—their mother doesn’t want them and sends them off each morning to a local Black Panther-run summer camp, where they encounter simmering racial tensions. SiSi... Read More

Narrator Ariana Delawari’s guileless tone embodies young, vulnerable Obayda, whose comfortable life in Kabul is turned upside down when her father loses a leg in a street bombing, forcing the family to move to the small village where his family can help with his recovery. Reading without an accent in a childlike pitch, yet giving authentic voice to Afghani names and phrases,... Read More

Foxlee’s adaptation of the fairy tale “The Snow Queen” is set in a fanciful museum where Ophelia’s father, the curator, must create a large sword exhibit, supervised by the enigmatic director, Miss Kaminsky. Jayne Entwistle’s graceful narration alternates effortlessly between Ophelia’s quiet reluctance to abandon her passion for science and her father’s absentminded responses... Read More

Author Lucy Strange narrates her second book, capturing the historical thriller’s gothic atmosphere. The story transports listeners to the southeast coast of England at the beginning of WWII. Strange imbues her words with impactful inflections and poignant pauses that take listeners into the heart of 12-year-old Pet. An encroaching war is confusing enough, but worse yet are... Read More

Narrator Frankie Corzo brings relatable warmth to this supernatural adventure. Twelve-year-old Paola's mother has warned her not to go near the river for fear of La Llorona, a legendary weeping ghost who drowns her victims. Pao and her friends, Emma and Dante, ignore the warnings--and then, Emma disappears. To rescue her, Pao and Dante embark on an adventure into a magical... Read More

In assured, inquisitive tones, Cherise Boothe unfurls a clever middle-grade mystery featuring intriguing characters and a town with a challenging history. When Candace moves to Lambert, South Carolina, for the summer with her mother, she uncovers a letter containing a puzzle and a request for the reader to right a decades-old wrong against a young woman and her family. Boothe's... Read More

If your knowledge of Peter Pan comes from Disney, prepare for a treat. Master storyteller Jim Dale transports listeners into Barrie’s world. Dale pulls us into the imaginative web Barrie weaves with this tale of adventure, suspense, and eternal childhood. Each character enters the story with a unique voice and personality, and Dale breathes life into every character--the cocky,... Read More

Dion Graham makes every audiobook he narrates into a special event, and his charisma just overflows in this one about Ant, a 10-year-old boy from South Carolina. Ant is obsessed with winning his community’s annual spades tournament—and living up to the expectations of his gambling, alcoholic father. When Ant’s best friend and spades partner is grounded, Ant finds an unexpected... Read More

Shannon Hale's fantasy tells how Miri, a 14-year-old living in a mining village, comes into her own, saving the village from poverty and possible disaster and finding her place in the world. Narrator Laura Credidio's voice is pleasant and soothing, and her narration is well paced. The ensemble’s acting is good, and the girls who attend the academy, including Miri, are uniformly... Read More

Narrator Jenna Lamia’s characterizations are key to the success of this audio production as 10-year-old Raymie hatches a plan to win back her father, who has recently deserted her family. An attempt to win the title of Little Miss Central Florida leads to baton-twirling classes and to making friends with two other girls. Together they become the “three rancheros.” Lamia’s... Read More

Author Rick Riordan explores Egyptian mythology in the Kane Chronicles series. Riordan’s works transition well to the audiobook format with their formula of equal parts nonstop adventure and well-camouflaged education. Dual narrators add a welcome level of complexity as Carter and Sadie Kane recount their story in turns. Kevin Free channels his inner adolescent well as the... Read More

With her slow pace and serious tone, narrator Priya Ayyar brings reverence to this heartbreaking novel in verse, which takes place in 1983. Caught between Indian family traditions and her social life, the only Indian-American eighth grader at her school, Reha, struggles to find where she belongs. When her mother suddenly gets sick with leukemia, Reha's social concerns are... Read More

Actor Matthew Gray Gubler (“Criminal Minds”) brings his children’s story to the listener’s ear with exuberance. Imagine a creature with five crooked teeth, three hairs, and a big left foot who lives underground near a rain drain. He only comes above ground by moonlight disguised under a banana peel, furnishes his home with the dregs found in a garbage can, and fashions a friend... Read More

Narrator Anthony Rey Perez dives in and out of English and Spanish, giving this audiobook the ambiance of Cuban-American culture. He skillfully interprets the mix of realistic and fantastic events and maintains the fast pace of this compelling listen. He is outstanding at portraying hero Salvador Vidon, a magician with a secret. Since his mother died, Sal has created tears in... Read More

You didn't think that middle schoolers Sal and Gabi could manipulate the multiverse without there being consequences, did you? Narrator Anthony Rey Perez's lively performance brings listeners right back to Miami's Culeco Academy in this sequel that picks up where SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE left off. The universe is in trouble, and so is the school play that the Culeco... Read More

Using two narrators is the perfect way to deliver this story, told as the alternating first-person recollections of two fifth-grade boys. Vikas Adam is the voice of Ravi, a recent immigrant from India, and Josh Hurley is the voice of Joe, a boy with auditory processing disorder (APD). Hurley creates a kind character in Joe, speaking softly in a measured voice, which makes it... Read More

Cassandra Morris is the ideal narrator for an enchanting tale that abounds with "storytellers" of all ages. Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, is the latest home for Felicity Juniper Pickle, her wandering mother, her little sister, and their old van, which is called “Pickled Jalapeno.” Morris captures Felicity, who has the gift of seeing words shimmer above people, places, and things... Read More

Iris, a 12-year-old deaf girl, prefers American Sign Language to speech, but listeners can still hear her every thought and sign. This is thanks to Abigail Revasch, who expressively narrates Iris's ASL conversations and mental musings. Iris struggles as a deaf girl in a mainstream school, often feeling isolated. When she learns of Blue 55, an unusual whale that sings at a... Read More

In a spellbinding drama that sweeps across Victorian England from London to the wintry mansion at Strachan’s Ghyll, Laura Amy Schlitz brings the despair, joy, and rich plotlines of a Dickensian novel to young listeners. Her cast interweaves the lives of standout characters: a witch with a powerful orb, a magician with a penchant for puppetry and pickpocketing, two plucky... Read More

With endless energy, verve, and style, Guy Lockard is a total superstar narrating this middle-grade novel about Portico Reeves, aka Stuntboy. Supported by a lively cast and a dynamic production, Lockard tells Portico’s origin story—Portico loves life in his apartment building, but every time he catches his mom and dad arguing, he feels “the frets” (cue the red-alert sound... Read More

The acclaimed writer of the Magic Tree House series applies her talents to the tales of THE ODYSSEY in this collection of six books. James Simmons uses his incredible verbal range and attention to detail to turn this epic story into a phenomenal production. With his subtle vocal alterations, Simmons’s performance makes the Cyclops a truly ugly being, Odysseus heroic, and the... Read More

Narrator Traci Kato-Kiriyama infuses this charming translated novel with the perfect sense of dreamy wonder. Practical Kazu doesn't really believe in ghosts. But there is a new girl at school whom everyone else seems to know, and he could swear he first saw her in the moonlight outside his house. Kato-Kiriyama's voice for Kazu is bright and a little husky, just right for a boy... Read More

The Infinity Ring's time-traveling trio find themselves in 1850 in a nation divided over slavery. The Underground Railroad is being sabotaged, and it's up to Dak, Sera, and Riq to fix the break in time. Dion Graham narrates with a deep voice that brings the historical figures to life. A nice touch to the audiobook is the addition of original songs that are sung in the story.... Read More

Step into THE TIME MACHINE and be transported to the future with Sir Derek Jacobi guiding the way. This revered British actor (listeners may recognize his voice from the BBC’s "Cadfael" or "I, Claudius") is a most delightful narrator. Throughout the story his cheerful tone invites the listener into the smoking room of the time traveler as he recounts his journey. Jacobi’s... Read More

Take a well-read classic filled with larger-than-life characters and pair it with a master narrator. Voilà—you’ve got a brand-new classic. Alfred Molina’s narration is like pulling up a chair next to a fire on a chilly night and being chilled all over again by Stevenson’s tale of piracy on the high seas. Molina’s portrayals are perfection. He’s a careful observer in his... Read More

In a sweet and youthful tone, Channie Waites portrays Neva Beane--a spirited 12-year-old in the throes of puberty. When her parents go on tour in Europe, Neva and her brother, Clayton, are left to spend the summer with their grandparents. As Neva struggles to find herself and adjust to her role in a changing world, Waites brings depth to Neva's growth, especially when she... Read More

Narrator David Tennant returns for this sequel. He gives each character a voice so distinct that this audiobook is comparable to a full-cast production. The wizard Xar practices dark magic--but at what cost? The warrior Wish has innate magical abilities, skills that are unheard of among her people. Xar and Wish set out on a quest to rid their land of witches, an act they... Read More

Narrator Bahni Turpin perfectly captures 10-year-old Octobia May, who's sent to live with her Aunt Shuma in her boardinghouse after she suffers a heart ailment at birth. Turpin portrays each of the personable boarders, skillfully re-creating men and women—Jewish, black, and white—as independent and distinct individuals. Feisty Octobia has a freedom seldom enjoyed by other... Read More

Opening with a spirited rendition of “This Little Light of Mine,” one of Fannie Lou Hamer’s favorite hymns, narrator Janina Edwards’s lilting performance is immediately entrancing. She authoritatively reads Weatherford’s Sibert Honor-winning free verse poems in a style and cadence rich with references to the rural South. Although this is not, technically, a read-along,... Read More

Thelonious Monk Thomas is a boy with troubles to spare. His parents are dead, the family farm in Kentucky has been sold, and he's headed for Destiny, Florida, with a mean uncle he barely knows. However, when Theo discovers the piano at Miss Sister's rooming house and makes friends with Annabelle, Destiny gains appeal. Soft-spoken Michael Crouch is masterful at creating... Read More

"Negro baseball was fast! Flashy! Daring! . . ." Young listeners will agree after hearing this compelling, accessible history of the players who, when they were shut out of major league baseball, loved the game so much that they found a way to keep playing. Dion Graham's enthusiastic, welcoming narration is a perfect match for the text. He helps the cast of characters—Rube... Read More

This powerful anthology of essays, poems, and songs thrums with purpose as the voices of talented narrators Bahni Turpin, Guy Lockard, January LaVoy, Soneela Nankani, and others combine. The collection is intended to provide children with hope and courage when they're confronted with injustice, racism, and hate. The narrators' voices are joyfully diverse, filled with... Read More

Skillful soundscaping and a full cast heighten the atmosphere and emotion in this audiobook, inspired by the childhood of coauthor Omar Mohamed. The story follows young Omar, a Somali boy living in a Kenyan refugee camp, where he cares for his brother, studies hard, and tries to balance his hope of resettlement against grim reality. Narrator Faysal Ahmed is thoroughly... Read More

Narrator Greta Jung is outstanding at capturing both the youthful and adult voices in this chapter book for tweens. She embodies the quiet, thoughtful Lily in a subdued tone. Listeners will empathize with the shy Korean-American girl who wants to disappear at the sign of any conflict. Lily’s quiet personality alternates with the sassiness of her older sister, Sam, who will... Read More

Minli and her family are trying to eke out a living in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, on the banks of the Jade River. While Minli's mother is bitter about their hard life, her father lightens their harsh existence by spending the nights telling stories of the Jade Dragon who made their mountain fruitless. Grace Lin's story draws on many elements of Chinese folk tales. Janet... Read More

Narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson’s fresh, youthful voice shares the optimism and enthusiasm of Zoe Reindeer. And optimism is necessary for 11-year-old Zoe as she navigates the role of middle sister, the vagaries of middle school, the loss of her best friend to a move, and her growing awareness of her parents’ financial shaky situation. Much of the story is set in an exotic plant... Read More