Best New Audiobooks for Listeners Ages 4-6+
AudioFile for The Children’s Book Review
Discover storytelling magic in these five new children’s audiobooks for the youngest listeners. While each can stand on its own as a listening experience, they also pair beautifully with their picture book companions. Amanda Gordon captivated the country with her inaugural poem, and now children can be inspired by her voice and message as she narrates CHANGE SINGS, her anthem for young world-changers. Children who are themselves learning to read will be moved by the story of Mary Walker, a woman who learned to read when she was 116 years old. Whatever their interests, your kids will discover new favorites in our picks below.
Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem
Story by Amanda Gorman
Read by Amanda Gorman
Ages 4+ | Listening Library | 3 mins.
Who better to read her first children’s picture book than poet-activist Amanda Gorman? Gorman’s lyrical voice features the strong sense of rhythm, rhyming, and laudable phrasing that she has quickly become known for. Gorman’s pitch-perfect emotional tone captures the poem’s message of building bridges, not walls. Though the audiobook succeeds well on its own, it becomes even more powerful when listened to while reading the companion picture book, with Loren Long’s illustrations of two children who team up to change the world. Review »
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We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know
Story by Traci Sorell
Read by Garrett Abel, Jacob Cummings, Mary Kay Henderson, Lauren Hummingbird, Don McClellan, Ella Mounce, Kaitlyn Pinkerton, Isobel Shults, Oliver Shults, Carlos Sorrell, Tonia Hogner-Weavel, and Traci Sorell
Ages 4+ | Live Oak Media | 15 mins.
A full cast of Cherokee, Navajo, Choctaw, and Chickasaw narrators deliver a moving audiobook companion to an informative picture book. Listeners hear an introductory history of Native Nations in North America, and then a bustling classroom preparing for their Indigenous Peoples’ Day assembly. Twelve students recite brief presentations in youthful voices as sound effects and music evoke the bright illustrations. Listeners learn of the impact of policies enforced since the U.S. stopped making treaties with tribal governments and how Native Nations have asserted their rights and sovereignty since. Each presentation ends with a chorus of voices proudly declaring: “We are still here.” Review »
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The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read
Story by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Read by Nikki M. James
Ages 7+ | Weston Woods Studios | 15 mins. | Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award
Nikki James’s narration enriches this unforgettable real-life story of Mary Walker’s patience and determination. Born into slavery in 1848 Alabama, emancipated at 15, married twice, raised three children, always, always working—Mary didn’t have time to learn how to decipher those “squiggles” in her Bible. At 116, with no family left to read that Bible to her, Mary decided it was time to learn to read herself. James’s bright, clear voice perfectly captures Mary’s lifelong, tenacious spirit. Accompanied by hauntingly beautiful music and creative sound effects, her engaging narration is storytelling magic. Review »
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Narrator Nazia Chaudhry brings upbeat energy to this story about a Pakistani-American girl’s conflicted feelings about missing school during Eid. She is excited about the festivities at the masjid, wearing her most beautiful shalwar kameez, and having her hands decorated with mehndi, but is sad to miss out on her school’s picture day. Happily, she comes up with a solution that reinforces her positive Muslim identity. Chaudhry’s steady narration is pleasantly interspersed with music, immersing listeners in the Central Asian culture while providing pauses to reflect on Amira’s thoughts and emotions. Review »
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Areli is a Dreamer: A True Story by Areli Morales, A DACA Recipient
Story by Areli Morales
Read by Areli Morales
Ages 4+ | Listening Library | 15 mins.
Author and narrator Areli Morales recounts her journey to the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant. As the story begins, 5-year-old Areli is happily living with her grandmother in Mexico, though she misses her parents enormously. Then, Areli joins her parents in New York City. While she is overjoyed to be in the U.S., making friends and learning a new language are extremely challenging. Not everyone is kind to her. Despite all the obstacles in her way, Areli prevails. Morales’s voice is full of emotion yet has a mature, serene quality. Young listeners will empathize with this brave DACA Dreamer and find her growth inspirational. Review »
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The article Discover Storytelling Magic in These Five New Children’s Audiobooks was curated by AudioFile. AudioFile is an independent source of audiobook reviews and recommendations with a clear focus on the performance and listening experience. AudioFile Earphones Awards are given to exceptional audiobooks. To learn more, visit audiofilemagazine.com, Twitter @AudioFileMag, and Facebook @audiofilemagazine.
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