Children's audiobook recommendations for all ages

Notes From the Reading Nook: April 25: A guest post from Katie Wickliff

Today I have a guest post from someone I’m excited to introduce you to: Katie Wickliff from the Substack newsletter, The Magic Book House:

I first met Katie when she emailed me out of the blue, asking for some Substack advice — which I was all too happy to give because I felt strongly that Katie’s idea for a newsletter focusing on chapter books and middle-grade fiction was just what this particular, weird little niche needed.

(Sometimes people tell me they’re looking forward to when my “kids get older” and I’ll review chapter books — even though I do review a chapter book every few issues. The truth is that my heart for children’s literature remains rooted most deeply in picture books — and I also think caregivers of younger children need the most support in finding good books and developing family reading habits, and chapter books take a lot more time to review — so I may never get there. I am thrilled Katie is filling this gap, meeting the needs of anyone looking for books for older readers, because I’m unlikely to do it.)

Katie has done a marvelous job beginning her newsletter and I can’t wait to see how she grows it — and where she takes it — in the future.

I also can’t wait to share with you today all of her fabulous audiobook recommendations for a wide variety of ages. Katie did such a great job, so without further ado…

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Hello everyone! 

I’m Katie, creator of The Magic Bookhouse — a new(ish) children’s book newsletter that focuses primarily on chapter books and middle-grade literature. 

As a former elementary school teacher and mother of two children, ages 8 and 11, I understand that choosing great books for your kids can be daunting — especially as they begin reading independently and want longer, more complex books! 

I recently wrote about our family’s audiobook journey, and when Sarah asked if I’d like to share some additional recommendations on Can We Read? I jumped at the opportunity. 

When my son was five and in kindergarten, his school was about 15 minutes away from home. Add in a wiggly almost-3-year-old who needed to come along, and those commutes seemed lonnnnng.

I’d gotten a picture book from the library that included a read-along CD, and I remember popping it into my car’s player one morning. He sat quietly for the entire six minutes (!!) and then asked to listen again. Our audiobook journey took off after that, and we moved gradually from shorter stories to longer chapter books and middle-grade novels.

Although I read to my kids aloud in the evenings (and still do), and although they both gravitate toward print books, I quickly saw how audiobooks expanded and enriched our reading lives. 

If you’re just getting started with audiobooks, there are many ways to listen. Because we’re huge audiobook fans, I have an Audible membership — but I spend those precious credits wisely! 

Most of the time, I’ll check out my library system’s Libby app to see if I can borrow an audiobook. I know a family who purchased inexpensive CD players for their children and use their local library to check out audiobooks on CD, and I’ve also heard great things about the Yoto Player. (Ed: the Miller family took the CD player route, which you can read more about here, if that’s of interest.)

Oh, and one more thing — the age ranges I suggest below are just that: suggestions based on the ages my former students and my own children gravitated toward certain books. Regardless, I hope it’s helpful to have a general idea of what might appeal to a specific age group or grade level. 

Can We Read? is such a valuable resource, and I’m honored that Sarah trusted me with her space today.  

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Audiobooks for ages 3-6

The Cat in the Hat and Other Dr. Seuss Favorites

These classic Dr. Seuss stories are a fantastic introduction to audiobooks.  Kelsey Grammer, Dustin Hoffman, Billy Crystal, and other outstanding performers narrate each of the 11 tracks in the collection. Each story ranges from 8-16 minutes, perfect for younger children or those new to audiobooks. 

My kids listened to this on repeat until I almost lost my mind 😂 introduced two more Seuss collections into our rotation:  

• Green Eggs and Ham and Other Servings of Dr. Seuss, narrated by Jason Alexander and others 

• The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories, narrated by William H. Macy, Joan Cusack, and others  

Honestly, Seuss is funny no matter who reads it — but imagine Jason Alexander telling you he’s “NOT going to get up today!”   

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Fancy Nancy Audio Collection, by Jane O’Connor, narrated by Chloe Hennessee

If you’re unfamiliar with Fancy Nancy, she’s an upbeat, confident, and likable little girl who believes everything is better when it’s fancy — and loves using “fancy” words, too! I found this collection on Audible when my daughter was about three years old, and she just last year (at 7) stopped asking to listen to it constantly. The narrator, Chloe Hennessee, does a great job — her voice is adorable, perfect for 6-year-old Nancy, but not too cutesy.

If you purchase this one, it’s a tremendous bang for your buck (or use of an Audible credit). There are a whopping 31 Fancy Nancy stories, originally published in picture book form, and each run anywhere from 4-7 minutes long. 

Other great recommendations for kids ages 3-6: 

• Frog and Toad Audio Collection, by Arnold Loebel, narrated by the author

• Narwhal and Jelly Audio Collection, by Ben Clanton, narrated by the author, Socks Whitmore, and Kirby Heyborne

• Mercy Watson Audio Collection, by Kate DiCamillo, narrated by Ron McLarty

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Audiobooks for ages 6-8 

Zoey and Sassafras, by Asia Citro, narrated by Janina Edwards

Zoey and Sassafras is an early chapter book series about a science-loving little girl who discovers she shares an amazing gift with her mom: they can both see magical animals! 

These animals — including dragons, unicorns, and friendly monsters — show up at Zoey’s house when they are sick or injured, and she must use her science skills and animal knowledge to help heal these fantastical creatures.

Young listeners will get as excited as Zoey does as she conducts research, runs experiments, and investigates mysteries to solve her magical dilemmas. Her cat, Sassafras, is a cute addition to the stories. 

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The Boxcar Children series, created by Gertrude Chandler Warner, narrated by Tim Gregory or Aimee Lilly

When I was little, The Boxcar Children series was my absolute favorite. I loved the idea of four children having the capability and autonomy to solve mysteries and go on great adventures. 

Of the over 200 (!!) Boxcar Children books (with more released every year), creator Gertrude Chandler Warner wrote only the first 19. While these earlier books are set from 1925-1940, the others reflect more modern settings and situations, ensuring that generations of kids find the Alden siblings relatable.

However, once you’ve listened to one Boxcar Children story, no matter when it was published, you pretty much know what you’re getting with the rest — the siblings are always kind to one another and work together to solve mysteries for the greater good.

My two kids are different ages and have entirely different interests, making compromising on anything challenging. However, they both love this series and take turns choosing the mysteries that sound most interesting to them — and with over 160 audiobook titles to choose from, we won’t run out anytime soon. 

During long car trips, our family (my husband and I included) become absorbed in solving the mysteries along with Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. 

Other great recommendations for ages 6-8: 

• Juana & Lucas series, by Juana Medina, narrated by Almarie Guerra

• The Ramona Quimby Audio Collection, by Beverly Cleary, narrated by Stockard Channing (this one will appeal to older kids as well!)

• The Nevergirls Audio Collection, by Kiki Thorpe, narrated by Eileen Stevens 

• Humphrey the Hamster Audio Collection, by Betty G. Birney, narrated by Hal Hollings

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Audiobooks for older kids

Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, narrated by Jim Dale

Peter and the Starcatchers is the first in a four-book series that cleverly imagines Peter Pan’s early life — before his adventures in the classic tale by J.M. Barrie.

Onboard a decrepit old ship called the Never Land, Peter and his new friend Molly battle thieves and pirates to save an old trunk containing a powerful magic substance that changes the nature of everything it touches.

Besides pixie dust, this creative tale answers the origin questions of the other elements of Peter Pan — such as Peter’s eternal childhood, the lost boys, the crocodile, and Neverland itself.

Award-winning narrator Jim Dale (of Harry Potter audiobook fame) gives a truly astonishing performance, creating distinct voices for all the many characters in this epic adventure tale. This one will captivate older kids in late elementary school/early middle school. 

Other great recommendations for ages 9-12 

• Upside Down Magic Audio Collection, by Emily Jenkins, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski, narrated by Rebecca Soler 

• The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale (yes, even if your child has read the books—Dale gives another spectacular, not-to-be-missed performance) 

• The Henry Huggins Audio Collection, by Beverly Cleary, narrated by Neil Patrick Harris (this one will also appeal to younger listeners!) 

• Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack, narrated by Rebecca Gibel 

• Wings of Fire: Legends (books 1-2), by Tui T. Sutherland, narrated by Shannon McManus

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Thank you for reading this guest post! Wishing you hours and hours of reading (and listening) magic,
Katie