Notable Children's Recordings - 2025

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The Notable Children’s Recordings list includes recordings for children 14 years of age and younger of especially commendable quality that demonstrate respect for young people’s intelligence and imagination; exhibit venturesome creativity; and reflect and encourage the interests of children and young adolescents in exemplary ways.

Angélica and la Güira. By Angie Cruz. Read by the author. 2024. 10min. Listening Library, DD (9780593744642). PreS.–Gr. 2.

As summer comes to an end, Angélica must say goodbye to her beloved tias, primas and grandparents in the Dominican Republic, but she leaves with a special gift from her abuelito: a güira. This celebratory picture book combines a solid narration with music and sound effects to present an authentic, intergenerational story that reminds us of the power of music to connect and create community.

Barrio Rising. By María Dolores Águila. Read by Victoria Villarreal. 2024. 20min. Listening Library, DD (9798217016242). Gr.–3.

Smoothly shifting between English and Spanish, narrator Villarreal tells the real-life story of a girl joining her community in Barrio Logan, San Diego's oldest Chicano neighborhood, to demand a park. Using various voices and tones to great effect, multiple characters appear throughout the story while sound effects, such as city noises and sounds from a construction site, complete the immersive listening experience.

Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed. By José Pablo Iriarte. Read by Gary Tiedemann. 2024. 6hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593795729). Gr. 3–6.

Tiedemann’s lively performance and distinct character voices power the story of a ghost trying to redeem himself with the help of his grandson. Nuanced voicework balances the humor of the story with its more contemplative undertones, and well-chosen intro music creates the right mood from the outset.

Between Two Brothers. By Crystal Allen. Read by Nile Bullock. 2024. 8.5hr. HarperCollins, DD (9780063047327). Gr. 4–6

Narrator Bullock fills this tale with emotion and tension as two brothers navigate a horrific accident. Bullock's narration helps create an emotionally riveting listen.

Black Girl You Are Atlas. By Renee Watson. Read by the author. 2024. 50min. Listening Library, DD (9780593820889). Gr. 6–8.

This semi-autobiographical work is Renée Watson's heartfelt, tender love letter in verse not only to the girl she was but to Black girls everywhere. Through her powerful narration, Watson owns every word of her story and delivers each with conviction. (Odyssey Honor Audiobook)

The Book That Almost Rhymed. By Omar Abed. Read by Christie Bahna and Marwan Salama. 2024. 6min. Listening Library, DD (9798217067015). PreS–Gr 2.

The dual narrators elevate the humor of this fun picture book about stories and sibling relationships.

Carter Avery's Tricky Fourth-Grade Year. By Rob Buyea. Read by Em Grosland. 2024. 7.5hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593916032). Gr. 3–6.

Carter Avery has always been the boy who gets in trouble at school, until he meets Ms. Krane, his new compassionate and inspirational fourth-grade teacher. Grosland captures the energetic, chaotic, and affectionate voice of Carter while also bringing to life a cast of colorful and realistic characters including Carter’s sister and grandmother, classmates, bus driver, and library friend Mason.

Different Kinds of Minds. By Temple Grandin. Read by Andrea Gallo and the author. 2023. 7.5hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593745298). Gr. 6–8.

Grandin's book about the mind, adapted for young listeners, offers an accessible entry point into how the mind works. The narration makes the science understandable and downloadable PDFs of charts and illustrations in the book help the listener visualize the narrative.

Evergreen. By Matthew Cordell. Read by Helen Day. 2024. 15min. Dreamscape Media, DD (9781666678505). PreS–Gr. 2.

Day’s soft, gentle voice lends itself to the woodland environment of Evergreen. As our title character must brave the journey into the woods to bring sick Granny Oak her mother’s healing soup, the narration captures Evergreen's nervous nature as well as giving a wide range of voices to the animals she meets along the way, elevating this audio to the feel of a fable.

Good Night with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. By Eric Carle. Read by Kevin R. Free. 2023. 5min. Listening Library, DD (9780593794418). PreS.

Filled with the sounds of the night sky, this lullaby-esque story invites readers back into the beloved world of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but this time with a story specifically intended for bedtime.

Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor. By Alan Gratz. Read by Pete Cross. 2024. 5hr. Scholastic Audio, DD (9781546117759). Gr. 4–7.

Pete Cross artistically captures the intense events of the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor. Historical audio clips of Franklin D. Roosevelt as well as a full-cast epilogue performance of a graphic novel short story enhance the listening experience.

I Am Ruth Bader Ginsburg. By Brad Meltzer. Read by a full cast. 2024. 22min. Listening Library, DD (9780593824818) Gr. K–3.

Using a full cast audio, sound effects, and a musical underbed, the story of Ginsburg is made accessible and easy to understand for young listeners.

Impossible Creatures. By Katherine Rundell. Read by Samuel West. 9hr. 2024. Listening Library, DD (9780593830093) Gr. 4–7.

With his gravelly storyteller voice, West brings a beautiful gravitas to Rundell’s fantasy epic. From the voice of the smallest squirrel-like creature to the impossibly ancient and all-knowing sphinx, the narration breathes life into every corner of the Archipelago.

Keena Ford series. By Melissa Thomson. Read by Tyla Collier. 2023. Listening Library.
Keena Ford Field Trip Mix-Up. 1hr. DD (9780593827017).
Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up. 1hr. DD (9780593826997).
Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix-Up. 1hr. DD (9780593827031). Gr. K–3.

Collier adds lots of laughs and charm to the Keena Ford series. Keena's voice sounds true to a 7-year-old and Collier imbues her narration with lots of heart, ensuring that Keena's adventures, while silly, are loveable.

The Leadership Journey. By Doris Kearns Goodwin. Read by a full cast. 2024. 11hr. Simon & Schuster Audio, DD (9781797179902). Gr. 6–8.

While Goodwin’s narration, both conversational and passionate, provides insight into her own professional journey, the early lives of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson are brought to life through the engaging narration of the remaining four narrators. This unique nonfiction title provides an entertaining and detail-rich exploration of what it takes to become a great leader.

Louder Than Words. By Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood. Read by Lexi Underwood and Mark Turetsky. 2024. 7hr. Scholastic Audio, DD (9781546121091) Gr. 6–8.

Underwood fully inhabits the voice of protagonist Jordyn as she navigates starting over at a new school where online outing of student secrets is creating a hostile environment. Her assured narration deftly renders the subtle questions raised by the text—how to handle youthful mistakes both justly and compassionately, for instance—more relatable and attainable to the audience, while interludes with alternate voices add texture to the performance.

Max in the House of Spies. By Adam Gidwitz. Read by Euan Morton. 2024. 8hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593793817). Gr. 4–7.

With superb character voice work, Morton breathes life into this tale of a young Jewish boy sent away from his German home at the beginning of WWII. This audio will captivate listeners with its intrigue, suspense, and humor.

Mid-Air. By Alicia D. Williams. Read by Landon Woodson. 2024. 5hr. Simon & Schuster Audio, DD (9781797174174). Gr. 5–8.

When one of his two best friends dies tragically in a car accident, soon-to-be ninth-grader Isaiah struggles with the grief and guilt of the aftermath while trying to maintain his friendship with his remaining best friend Drew and coping with a traumatic racist event. In this audio version of a novel in verse, narrator Woodson deftly captures the emotional range—including the joys, insecurities, humor, and bravado—of a teenage Black boy finding himself and his confidence.

Millie Fleur's Poison Garden. By Christy Mandin. Read by Elizabeth Knowelden. 2024. 28min. Scholastic Audio, DD (9781546166528). PreS–Gr. 2

Listeners are drawn into Millie Fleur's enchanting garden. Magical page turns introduce you to whimsical plants such as Sneezy Stick Weed. I promise you won't be scared like some of the town folk in Millie's new town. After the story, learn how to grow your own wonderfully weird plants and read about the real garden that inspired the story.

Olivetti. By Allie Millington. Read by Christopher Gebauer and Simon Vance. 2024. 4.5hr. Recorded Books, DD (9798891782297). Gr. 4–6.

With its dual narration, the quiet story of Olivetti the typewriter teaming up with young Ernest to find his missing mother is effectively brought to life. Vance’s grandiose performance as Olivetti is perfectly paired with Gebauer’s young, anxious voice for twelve-year-old Ernest, giving both perspectives the authenticity needed to capture Millington’s work.

Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock. By Jesús Trejo. Read by the author. 2023. 8min. Recorded Books, DD (9798891781559). PreS.–Gr. 2.

Trejo’s exuberant reading animates his joyful recounting of a Saturday spent helping his father with his gardening business. His infectious energy and vocalized sound effects suffuse the story with warmth and humor, conjuring images of young Jesús’ antics.

The Perfect Place. By Matt de la Pena. Read by Dion Graham. 2024. 9min. Listening Library, DD (9780593864616). PreS–Gr. 2.

Graham takes de la Pena's words and paints a magical picture for listeners. With his soothing narration, listeners are swept away to a world of perfection ... but is everything as perfect as it seems? Graham offers a gentle, storytelling voice showing listeners the beauty of family.

A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen. By Erin Frankel. Read by Luis Carlos De La Lombana. 2024. 15min. Dreamscape Media, DD (9781666653847). PreS.–Gr. 3.

The moving biography of Chef José Andrés is brilliantly brought to life with detailed sound effects, music, and lyrical Castilian-accented narration. Listeners are transported to the World Central Kitchen, where they can almost taste the paella as it sizzles. This renowned humanitarian's story will inspire all. (Odyssey Award for Children)

A Royal Conundrum. By Lisa Yee. Read by Cindy Kay. 2024. 6hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593868249). Gr. 4–7.

When Olive Coben Zang enrolls at an unusual new “Reforming Arts School” on a remote island off the coast of California, the quiet and isolated 12-year-old quickly finds herself training with other delightfully odd and talented students to be part of an elite secret crime-fighting unit called NOCK, or “No One Can Know.” In a whispery, conspiratorial voice, narrator Kay delivers a highly entertaining and fast-paced tale full of excellent distinct character voices that capture author Yee’s humor and dynamic plot.

Tala Learns to Siva. By Kealani Netane. Read by Tiana Masaniai. 2024. 18min. Scholastic Audio, DD (9781546121213). K–Gr. 3.

After watching her Aunty Sina dance the traditional Samoan siva, young Tala strives to learn and practice the dance herself. Peaceful and upbeat original Samoan music flows throughout this audiobook, narrated with a lilting and gentle Samoan accent by Masaniai.

Ultraviolet. By Aida Salazar. Read by Alejandro Antonio Ruiz. 2024. 3hr. Scholastic Audio, DD (9781546118695). Gr. 6–8.

Meet eighth grader Elio Solis as he navigates first love, friendship, and what it means to be male in his Mexican American culture. Elio’s voice is authentic and truly adolescent, while secondary characters are fully realized in this engaging, heartfelt coming-of-age story, with music composed and performed by the author’s son. Ultraviolet (print version) was named a 2025 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Honor Book.

When Things Aren't Going Right, Go Left. By Marc Colagiovanni. Read by Chester Gregory. 2024. 13min. Weston Woods, DD (9781339031385). PreS–Gr. 2.

Gregory's playful reading captures the creative language play with depth and whimsy. This story reminds the listener of the power they have to direct their own path, with encouragement given to let go of burdens. An enduring message of strength and perseverance, one that audiences will be drawn to over and over again.

The Witching Wind. By Natalie Lloyd. Read by the author and Noah Wall. 2024. 8hr. Scholastic Audio, DD (9781546137306). Gr. 3–6.

Lloyd and Wall take listeners on a lyrical journey to find what the witching wind has taken from them.

Witches of Brooklyn. By Sophie Escabasse. Read by a full cast. 2024. 1.5hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593868379). Gr. 3–6.

A full cast brings to life the story of a young girl finding a home, and unexpected magic, after moving in with her aunt. The variety of colorfully inflected voices set the scene and lend big personalities to the characters while carefully-employed sound effects fill out the world they inhabit and a well-executed musical number elevates the experience.

The Wrong Way Home. By Kate O'Shaughnessy. Read by Caitlin Kinnunen. 2024. 9hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593795385). Gr. 4–7.

When Fern and her mother escape their off-grid, cultish existence in the middle of the night, Fern must navigate the outside world, a bittersweet journey that forces her to question the "idyllic" life she leaves behind. Kinnunen delivers an outstanding narration, giving Fern depth, personality, and a full range of emotion as she confronts the truth and learns to trust herself and others in this engrossing 2025 Newbery Honor recipient.

You Are Brave: A Book about Trying New Things. By Margaret O'Hair & Sofia Sanchez. Read by Sofia Sanchez. 2024. 19min. Scholastic Audio, DD (9781546137894). PreS–Gr. 2.

Narrator Sofia Sanchez, a young woman with Down syndrome, brings her own strength, bravery, and encouragement to the narration of the book that she inspired. Her uplifting story tells the world that everyone can succeed and helps young readers to see their own self-worth while encouraging them to overcome obstacles and try new things. (Odyssey Honor Audiobook)

2025 Notable Children's Recordings Committee

Sarah Bean Thompson, Interim Chair, Springfield-Greene County Library, Springfield, MO
Hana Boxberger, Whatcom County Library System, Lynden, WA
Dr. Jared Crossley, The Ohio State University, Marion, Ohio
Tamara DePasquale, Eldredge Public Library, Chatham, MA
Marika Jeffery, San Diego Public Library, CA
Andrea L. Pavlik, Huntington Public Library, NY
Ben Perry, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Diane Olivo-Posner, Los Angeles Public Library, CA
Shani Boyd, Administrative Assistant, Oakland Public LIbrary, CA