Audiobooks are steadily gaining popularity. Nowadays, nearly half of the listeners are younger than 35. They listen to an average of 15 books a year. Furthermore, with the proven benefits of audiobooks for children, there is an increase in the number of listeners below the age of 12. Therefore, we have listed down 10 of the best audiobooks for children to listen to.
What Factors Contribute to the Creation Of Best Audiobooks for Children?
Before we look at the best audiobooks for children, let us first determine what factors make an audiobook good.
Audiobooks for children must have good content
You will find an audiobook enjoyable only when the book is one you are interested in. No matter how good the narrator is, you might not enjoy a book that is not your favourite genre.
Good character voices
When narrators perform different voices for each character, the experience of listing to an audiobook becomes much better. Furthermore, different voices help the listener relate to the emotions of a character. Thus, they are able to follow the story better.
A pleasant narrator
While the character voices are the heart of an audiobook, the narrator’s voice is equally important. A pleasant and natural-sounding voice blends into the background, thus letting the story shine. On the other hand, a raspy or shrill voice can ruin a good audiobook.
Audiobooks for children have excellent pacing and enunciation
A good narrator must use variations in pacing, to depict the intensity of different scenes. For example, he should speak fast in high-intensity thrillers and slower in romantic scenes.
Additionally, he or she should speak clearly so that the readers can understand the words easily. Pauses between lines of dialogue, paragraphs as well as between scenes and chapters are important for the listener’s understanding of the book. Furthermore, a narrator reading extremely fast or slow can also result in a frustrating experience.
Have continuity within a series
As we listen to an audiobook we get invested in the story as well as the voices of the character. So, when a narrator is changed mid-series, you can feel like you are reading a new book altogether. This makes the listening experience less enjoyable. Therefore, good audiobook series must have the same narrator to maintain continuity.
10 Best Audiobooks For Children
How to Train Your Dragon
Author: Cressida Cowell
You can not make a list of audiobooks for children without mentioning this incredible one. David Tennant narrates the entire series in delightful Scottish accents while infusing them with his sense of fun. The listener is sure to get lost in the adventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and his dragon Toothless.
The Hobbit
Author: J.R.R Tolkein
Another great book for children narrates the tale of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who leaves the Shire to go on an adventure over Middle Earth. He encounters trolls, dwarfs, wizards, giant spiders, and more on his journey. The narrator Inglis provides an extremely enjoyable listening experience.
3. A Series of Unfortunate Events
Author: Lemony Snicket
Listening to A Series of Unfortunate Events voiced by Tim Curry is an absolute treat. His expressive voice excellently illustrates the dark, self-referential humour of the book. From the chilling voice of the sinister Count Olaf to the rest of the varied characters, Curry’s voice is sure to immerse you in the story.
Hidden Figures Young Readers Edition
Author: Margot Lee
Voiced by Bahni Turpin, a prolific audiobook voice actor is a non-fiction story about four African American female mathematicians who were instrumental in NASA’s space program.
Princess Academy
Author: Shannon Hale
Princess Academy will make it feel like you are watching a musical. The songs sung by the cast will transport you into this fantasy series about Miri, whose home is transformed into a princess academy that girls must attend in order to be chosen by the prince.
Anne of Green Gables
Author: L.M. Montgomery
There are many audiobook versions of this classic tale. However, the one performed by Rachel McAdams is outstanding. Her light and effortless narration describe Anne’s charisma and dreaminess as she gets into one mishap after another. She also depicts the familiar quirks of all other characters in this tale.
Howl’s Moving Castle
Author: Dianna Wynne Jones
The story follows Sophie, a girl who is cursed to change into an old lady by a witch. She must journey to the moving castle in the hills to break the enchantment.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
This list of the best audiobooks for children can not be complete without the story of the Boy Who Lived. Both Jim Dale and Stephen Fry’s versions are excellent. They narrate the story of Harry Potter and his adventures in the wizarding school Hogwarts.
See You in the Cosmos
Author: Jack Cheng
This is a story of a space-obsessed 11-year-old, Alex Petroski and his dog, who try to launch Alex’s golden iPod into space. The audiobook is voiced by a cast of five actors and Kivlighan de Montebello as the narrator. The story is funny, inspirational and full of heart.
Save me a seat
Authors: Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Due to its dual perspective, two voice actors personify the main characters, Joe, voiced by Josh Hurely and Ravi, voiced by Vikas Adam. Joe and Ravi initially don’t think that they have anything in common. However, they soon find out about their common enemy, the big bully in their class. Therefore, they stick together and become friends.
Final Thoughts On The Best Audiobooks For Children
Kids who generally have shorter attention spans may prefer listening to an audiobook rather than reading the novel. Therefore it is essential for the audiobook to be immersive and enjoyable. A good audiobook has all the factors that make it so including, a pleasant narrator, varied character voices, good pacing, enunciation, and continuity. The audiobooks mentioned on this list have these factors and are a good activity to do with the kids.
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