AudioFile Best Audiobooks List for The Children’s Book Review
Step into a world of wonder with AudioFile Magazine’s 2024 Best Children & Family Listening collection!
From courageous real-life heroes who changed history to young voices rising up against injustice, these captivating audiobooks will transport your family into thrilling adventures. Marvel at encounters with magical creatures, laugh along with unforgettable characters, and be moved by powerful tales of bravery. Each story comes alive through dynamic narration that will have both kids and parents hanging on every word, making car rides, bedtime, or any listening moment absolutely magical.
The Best Kids’ Audiobooks for 2024
The Beautiful Game
Written by Yamile Saied Méndez
Read by Maria Liatis
Hachette Audio | 7.5 hrs | Ages 9+
Maria Liatis delivers a heartwarming performance as a 13-year-old with a passion for fútbol and her family. Valeria is a star player on the boys’ soccer team, coached by her gruff abuelo. Liatis’s sensitive, understated narration showcases the book’s rich themes of family, resilience, and perseverance. Review»
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Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples
Written by Mavis Staples and Carole Boston Weatherford
Read by Mavis Staples and Adenrele Ojo
Listening Library | 28 mins. | Ages 6-9
Singer and activist Mavis Staples brings her iconic, resonant voice to the narration of this audiobook, giving young listeners an unforgettable glimpse of her remarkable musical life. In a voice ringing with warmth, humor, and conviction, Staples describes her musical roots. Adenrele Ojo capably narrates the supplemental materials, including a timeline and suggestions for further study. Review»
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Free Period
Written by Ali Terese
Read by Josephine Huang and Cassandra Morris
Scholastic Audiobooks | 7 hrs. | Ages 8+ | AudioFile Earphones Award
Josephine Huang and Cassandra Morris join forces to deliver the captivating story of best friends in this exceptional middle-grade audiobook. Helen and Gracie are known for their mischievous antics. Their latest escapade leads them to join the Community Action Club, currently dedicated to promoting period equity. Review »
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Impossible Creatures
Written by Katherine Rundell
Read by Samuel West
Listening Library | 9 hrs. | Ages 9+
If Christopher weren’t holding a baby griffin, he never would have come to believe his grandfather about the hidden archipelago where magical creatures live. Samuel West’s presentation shines as he provides voices appropriate for the magical world’s denizens, depth for several emotional moments, and increasing emphasis as the journey becomes more dangerous. Review »
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Olivetti
Written by Allie Millington
Read by Christopher Gebauer and Simon Vance
Recorded Books | 4.5 hrs. | Ages 10+ | AudioFile Earphones Award
A charming story and two narrators exuding energy and warmth knock it out of the park. Simon Vance is Olivetti, a typewriter who breaks the “typewriterly” code of silence to spill his tapestry of tales in order to find his missing owner. Twelve-year-old Ernest, portrayed expertly by Christopher Gebauer with an appealing mix of anxiety, heart, and wry humor, prefers dictionaries and solitude, but he must trust a sentient typewriter and make a friend to find his mother. Review »
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Tree. Table. Book.
Written by Lois Lowry
Read by Hope Newhouse
Harper Audio | 3.25 hrs. | Ages 8+ | AudioFile Earphones Award
This humble and wonderful performance by Hope Newhouse will engage a wide audience. Two Sophies are best friends; one is an elementary school student, and the other is an aging woman who is beginning her struggle with memory loss. Newhouse’s ability to transform her narration to highlight both the stark age difference and the friendship between both characters is a cornerstone of the performance. Review »
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For the complete list of 2024 Best Audiobooks, visit AudioFile’s website.
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The article “Best Children & Family Listening Audiobooks for 2024” 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, Facebook @audiofilemagazine, and Instagram @AudioFileMagazine.
The header image contains the following narrator images: Maria Liatis’s photo by Chase Anderson Photography and Christopher Gebauer’s photo courtesy of the narrator.
