As your child goes through their formative years, it’s the perfect time to introduce them to books and harness this medium’s potential to aid their growth and transformation. Thus, a previous post serves as a list of ‘Our Favorite Books for Young Kids’ and provides families with recommendations worth adding to their libraries. These titles range from toddler-friendly picks like Sandra Boynton’s lively Barnyard Dance to poetic works made more alive through illustrations, such as Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr.
Beyond delving into various genres, the advent of technology has also opened up the opportunity to explore alternative reading formats, particularly in the form of audiobooks. According to a study by the organization National Literacy Trust, more and more children and young people are listening to audiobooks as a more enjoyable way to entertain themselves and learn new things. Almost half (49.1%) of those interviewed said that they preferred listening to audiobooks since they used their imagination more, while three in five (58.5%) shared that the format helped them understand a story or subject better.
Furthermore, audiobooks are all the more accessible with the rise of digital libraries. For starters, Everand’s audiobook selection, which includes best-sellers like Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel and original works from best-selling children’s book authors like Neil Gaiman, can be accessed through affordable subscription plans. The subscription-based platform also has user-friendly features, such as a sleep timer and playback speed control, to make it easier to incorporate audiobook listening into your child’s daily routine.
So, here are the best children’s audiobooks your family can listen to together.
The Couch Potato by Jory John
A New York Times bestseller and one of the finalists for the 2022 Audie Awards by the Audio Publishers Association, The Couch Potato by Jory John focuses on the titular character, who is lazy and always glued to the television. However, when the electricity goes out, Couch Potato is forced to leave the comforts of the living room and learn how to strike the right balance between screen time and playtime. Through Kirby Heyborne’s charming and humorous narration, every kid who listens to this work will discover the value and adventure of the outdoors in an otherwise digitally-oriented world.
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Decades after its original release in 1977, Bridge to Terabithia remains a beloved, critically acclaimed novel that beautifully tackles the themes of friendship, grief, and loss. Now, in its audiobook format, young listeners can revisit this modern classic and draw lessons from how the main characters, Jess and Leslie, rely on each other to deal with life’s harsh realities. The depiction of Terabithia, the enchanted land invented by these two childhood friends, will also exercise every listener’s creativity and imagination.
Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry
The most recent release on this list, Lois Lowry’s novel Tree. Table. Book. won the 2024 May 2024 AudioFile Earphones Award through its strong narrative voice and distinct style and characterization. It revolves around an unlikely bond between two Sophies who are of widely different ages, one in elementary school and the other an adult. Through the two Sophies’ dynamics with other unique characters, children can discover not only the abstract concepts of friendship and love but also learn more about historical themes of war, hunger, and cruelty.
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