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Article  •  29 June 2020

 

9 audiobooks for the whole family to enjoy

The perfect way to listen and learn! 

We can’t agree on music. The ‘I spy with my little eye’ game definitely has an expiry date and Dad’s triumphant proclamations of ‘Back in my day – !’ are never welcome.

But we can all share a good story.

Dive into an audiobook with the family or with your class. They’re great for road trips, bedtime stories, to wind down or for entertainment while colouring.

 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Jeff Kinney

What we love about this story: Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the world’s most popular children’s book with over 200 million copies sold, and counting! Greg Heffley is just a wimpy kid facing all the challenges of American middle school. Selfish, lazy, greedy, cheeky and mischievous, he is also very funny and is prone to moments of kindness.

Great for primary school kids.

Narrator: Dan Russell

Length: 2hr 21min

Themes: Schoolyard drama, confidence and a whole lot of good humour

Other books in the series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid books 1–14 and (coming September 2020) Diary of a Wimpy Kid 15: The Deep End. 

 

 

Atticus Van Tasticus

Andrew Daddo and Stephen Michael King

What we love about this story: The hilarious story of an 11-year-old wannabe pirate named Atticus, brought vividly to life by a unique musical soundtrack, special sound effects and the energetic voice of author, Andrew Daddo.

Great for primary school kids.

Narrator: Andrew Daddo

Length: 2hr 53min

Themes: Pirates, creativity, adventure and all round ridiculousness. Arrrrrr me hearties!

Other books in this series: Atticus Van Tasticus 2: The Map of Half Maps and (coming September 2020) Atticus Van Tasticus 3: The Treasure of Treasures.

 

 

Kensy and Max 1: Breaking News

Jacqueline Harvey

What we love about this story: Sibling cooperation! Twins Kensy and Max have their world turned upside down when they wake up one day to discover their parents are missing. With some good sleuthing and decoding skills, the eleven-year-old twins uncover a world of crime-busting secret agents and are thrown into exciting adventures across London and the world. Read the first chapter of Kensy and Max 1: Breaking News.

Great for older primary school kids.

Narrator: Jacqueline Harvey

Length: 4hr 56min

Themes: Secret agents, missions, family team work and mystery-solving.

Other books in this series: Kensy and Max books 2–5 and (coming September 2020) Kensy and Max 6: Full Speed.

 

 

The Tales of Mr Walker

Jess Black and sara acton

What we love about this story: An adorable collection of eight individual stories inspired by the real-life dog Mr Walker, living at the Park Hyatt Melbourne who is also a Guide Dog Ambassador. Mr Walker is a charming Labrador determined to put his best paw forward, though things don’t always go to plan. Royalties from sales of this audiobook go to Guide Dogs Victoria. Download the free Mr Walker activity pack.

Great for younger primary school kids.

Narrators: Dave O’Neil, Michala Banas, Karen Hayes, Virginia Trioli and Jane Bunn

Length: 5hr 10min

Themes: Dogs, heart-warming friendships, humour and uplifting family relationships

 

 

Two Wolves

Tristan Bancks

What we love about this story: Gripping, fast-paced and full of life, this is a thrilling story for adults as well as kids and raises important ethical questions. Ben and Olive Silver don’t realise that their parents are in trouble with the law until suddenly they are thrown in the car – on a surprise ‘holiday’, says Mum – racing through red lights and up the Pacific Highway for as far as it will take them. Ben has always dreamed of becoming Sydney’s toughest detective. While gathering evidence, he tries to uncover what his parents have done. But what will he do with the truth when it could cost him his family? Read the first two chapters of Two Wolves.

Great for high school kids.

Narrator: Tristan Bancks

Length: 4hr 53min

Themes: Ethics and morality, crime and family drama

 

 

Detention

Tristan Bancks

What we love about this story: Detention was a bestselling YA book in 2019 and has a 4.11 rating on Goodreads as a ‘confronting, powerful, emotional and important story.’ This narrative of a refugee escape will grab parents as well as their teens, and the heavier themes provide a good springboard to family discussions about human rights.

Great for high school kids.

Narrator: Tristan Bancks

Length: 4hr 31min

Themes: Asylum seekers, human rights, action-packed adventure

 

 

You Must Be Layla

Yassmin Abdel-Magied

What we love about this story: The perfect conversation starter for important social justice issues including racism, schoolyard bullying and Islamaphobia. Layla is a loveable and chatty Sudanese-Australian girl of Islamic faith who stands out like a sore thumb at her new prestigious school. She’s determined to prove that she was worthy of her scholarship by setting out to win the school’s scientific invention competition.

Great for younger high school kids.

Narrator: Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Length: 5hr 21min

Themes: Social justice, making friends, confidence and ambition

 

 

Limelight

Solli Raphael

What we love about this story: Limelight is a collection of slam-poetry written by Solli Raphael, the youngest-ever winner of the Australian Poetry Slam competition at twelve years old. Solli speaks as a voice for his generation at a time when youth movements, worldwide, hold significant importance. This extraordinary collection showcases creativity and the power of social consciousness.

Great for high school kids.

Narrator: Solli Raphael

Length: 1hr 48min

Themes: Social justice, environmentalism, confidence and optimism

Other books by Solli Raphael: (Coming September 2020) Spotlight

 

 

No One Likes a Fart

Zoë Foster Blake and adam nickel

What we love about this story: Yep, this is an audio version of a picture book. No One Likes a Fart is only seven minutes long, but we promise there will be so many laughs for everyone in the car that you’ll want to play it over and over again! An outrageously fun story, written and read by Australia’s sweetheart Zoë Foster Blake, with voices by her larrikin husband, Hamish Blake. It’s a short and sweet (albeit smelly) introduction to audio stories for young kids.

Perfect for pre-schoolers.

Narrator: Zoë Foster Blake and Hamish Blake

Length: 7min

Themes: Fart jokes, finding friends and . . . more fart jokes

Other books by Zoë Foster Blake: (Coming September 2020) Back to Sleep

Featured Titles

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (BK1)
The first book in the phenomenally successful series Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.
Read more
Atticus Van Tasticus
A ten-year-old pirate captain? Absurd? Not in the world of Atticus Van Tasticus, a fabulously funny new illustrated junior fiction series from the brilliant and wacky creative minds of Andrew Daddo and Stephen Michael King.
Read more
Kensy and Max 1: Breaking News
Introducing Kensy and Max – an action-packed spy-adventure series for girls and boys from bestselling author Jacqueline Harvey!
Read more
The Tales of Mr Walker
Introducing Mr Walker – a hotel dog with a nose for adventure!
Read more
Two Wolves

SURVIVAL, SECRETS, TRUTH!

Get ready for a wild adventure filled with moral dilemmas and tough choices.

Read more
Detention
A daring escape. A school lockdown. A thrilling chase. What would you risk to save a life?
Read more
You Must Be Layla
With her long skirt and headscarf Layla certainly stands out at her new high school. Everyone thinks they know her, just from a glance. But do they? And does Layla really know herself?
Read more
Limelight
Age is no barrier to creating poetry that inspires social change and positive action. Award-winning teenage slam poet Solli Raphael is taking on the world … one word at a time. The future needs you and me to create equality across all levels of humanity ~ Solli
Read more
No One Likes a Fart

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

WINNER OF THE 2018 ABIA PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR

A sweet, funny story about accepting yourself and finding a friend who loves you just the way you are. Mostly, though, it's about a fart. And fart jokes. Loooots of fart jokes.

Read more

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