AudioFile Magazine curated this audiobook list exclusively for The Children’s Book Review.
The Best New Audiobooks for Ages 4 and Up
Get ready for some silly and summery adventures with these audiobooks for the youngest listeners. Engaging performances take listeners along on a mouse’s nautical outing and a visit to a town populated by scaredy-cats, and advise them that they should NOT trust fish, but should listen to a crabby crow. When enjoyed together, these audiobooks will help the whole family appreciate the magic of summer days and give everyone the giggles—no crankiness here.
Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World)
Written by Corey R. Tabor
Read by Mark Sanderlin
AudioFile Earphones Award
Harper Audio | 5 mins. | Ages 4-8
This playful performance by Mark Sanderlin will surely charm listeners. A crow, who only responds in caws, sits on a telephone pole and squawks up a storm. He ignores Squirrel, Hummingbird, Rat, and Bat as they ask him to play or spend time with them, and none of them can understand why he’s so cranky. But little do they know he’s there to protect them from a powerful asteroid! The pacing of Sanderlin’s narration is exciting, and he delivers some fun twists. Review»
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Don’t Trust Fish
Written by Neil Sharpson
Read by Neil Sharpson
Listening Library | 15 mins. | Ages 3-7
Not only do fish defy categorization, they eat “poor innocent crabs who are just trying to have a nice time in the sea.” This is only one of the clues to the identity of the unidentified storyteller. Fabulous detours allow author Neil Sharpson to deliver pirate speak, fishy baby talk, ferocious and funny conspiracy theories, and storytelling that fills in for Dan Santat’s illustrations. Sharpson’s audio clues are subtle, silly, and sure to suck in listeners. The production has a second story for listeners who are turning pages with their “weird fleshy human fingers.” Review»
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Kittybunkport
Written by Scott Rothman
Read by Nathan Nonhof, Sean Kenin Elias-Reyes, Fabian Cook Jr.
Listening Library | 8 mins. | Ages 3-7
Jaunty music, heavy on bassoon, begins this audiobook, as narrator Fabian Cook, Jr., welcomes listeners to Kittybunkport, Maine, a coastal town populated entirely by scaredy-cats. When the town’s lighthouse goes dark, Chowder, full of false bravado, and Crackers, openly timorous, are volunteered to take their lobster boat out to investigate. Narrators Sean Kenin Elias-Reyes and Nathan Nonhof dig into the silliness, creating a counterpoint of bluster and fear. Good-natured foolishness. Review»
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Firefly Season
Written by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Read by Katie Anvil Rich
Harper Audio | 7 mins. | Ages 4-8
Katie Anvil Rich brings her joyful narration to this children’s book about two girls from different backgrounds who form a close bond. Each summer, 7-year-old Native American Piper goes to visit her cousins on their tribal land. Once back home, she forms a friendship with her new Indian neighbor, Sumi, who is 4. The two grow close over the next year, so when Piper learns her family is moving away, both girls are saddened. How they resolve this issue will warm listeners’ hearts. Rich knows how to bring out the depth of childhood feelings. Review»
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The Ship in the Window
Written by Travis Jonker
Read by Marwan Salama
Listening Library | 10 mins. | Ages 3-7
Narrator Marwan Salama captures the nautical adventures of Mabel, a mouse who lives a quiet life in a house belonging to a man and his young son. Mabel and the boy watch as the man carefully builds a model ship piece by piece, day after day, in the window of the house. Mabel dreams of being its captain and going on seafaring adventures. Finally, the man takes his prized model out for a sail on a lake. Salama adds the necessary drama to the narration, which along with the lovely musical interludes brings this story to life. Review»
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The article “Best New Audiobooks for Ages 4-6+” 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, BlueSky @audiofilemagazine.bsky.social, Facebook @audiofilemagazine, and Instagram @AudioFileMagazine
