With compelling studies revealing that reading while listening improves comprehension, Amazon is continuing to add kids’ books to its Read & Listen program. This means that you can buy the Kindle edition and, before checking out, check the box to add Audible narration. Then your kiddo can read along with text that highlights in sync with the narration — narration that you might just find yourself getting caught up in, too. (Me, I could listen to David Walliams from BBC’s sketch comedy Little Britain read The BFG for days.)
The book that inspired the Choose Kind movement. August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting fifth grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid -- but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary face. This #1 New York Times bestseller begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community's struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. "Wonder is the best kids' book of the year," said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy.
Diana Steele, Nick Podehl, and Kate Rudd narrate.
“Roald Dahl sometimes shared a tonal kinship with Ogden Nash, and he could demonstrate a verbal inventiveness nearly Seussian... [His] stories work better in audio than in print.” (The New York Times)
Captured by a giant!
The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, or any of the other giants - rather than the BFG - she would have soon become breakfast. When Sophie hears that the giants are flush-bunking off to England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!
Now a Steven Spielberg film!
This Newbery Medal-winning novel by bestselling author Katherine Paterson is a modern classic of friendship and loss. Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he almost is, until the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, outpaces him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie's house, where they invent an enchanted land called Terabithia. One morning, Leslie goes to Terabithia without Jess and a tragedy occurs. It will take the love of his family and the strength that Leslie has given him for Jess to be able to deal with his grief. Supports the Common Core State Standards.
Robert Sean Leonard narrates.
This beloved Newbery Honor Book by E.B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature. Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter. A tender novel of friendship, family, and adventure that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. Illustrations in this ebook appear in vibrant full color on a full-color device and in rich black-and-white on all other devices. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts.
George Plimpton narrates.
"A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, Can we do this anonymously? Because I don't need the Olympians mad at me again. But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week." So begins Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic -- and sarcastic asides -- to the classics. He explains how the world was created, then gives readers his personal take on a who's who of ancients, from Apollo to Zeus. Percy does not hold back. "If you like horror shows, blood baths, lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism, then read on, because it definitely was a Golden Age for all that."
Jesse Bernstein narrates.
Winner of the Newbery Medal, this remarkably moving novel has impressed the hearts and minds of millions of readers. Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family's struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. And it is also Cassie's story -- Cassie Logan, an independent girl who discovers over the course of an important year why having land of their own is so crucial to the Logan family, even as she learns to draw strength from her own sense of dignity and self-respect.
Lynne Thigpen narrates.
In this fairy tale so magical that it seems every child is born knowing it, a tornado transports Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, from the flat prairies of Kansas to the marvelous Land of Oz. A fantastic journey soon follows, as Dorothy travels a yellow brick road in search of a sorcerer with the power to send her home. Joining her are the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, each of whom has a wish just as important as Dorothy's. All of their dreams will come true if they can only make it to the Emerald City and the wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Anne Hathaway narrates.
When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn't just want to run from somewhere, she wants to run to somewhere -- to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and, preferably, elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing that her younger brother Jamie has money and thus can help her with a serious cash-flow problem, she invites him along. Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at auction for a bargain price of $225. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master, Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn't it? Claudia is determined to find out. Her quest leads her to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue, and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself.
Jill Clayburgh narrates.
Originally published in 1968, Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea marks the first of the six now-beloved Earthsea titles. Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.
Rob Inglis narrates.
Jeffrey Lionel "Maniac" Magee might have lived a normal life if a freak accident hadn't made him an orphan. After living with his unhappy and uptight aunt and uncle for eight years, he decides to run -- and not just run away, but run. This is where the myth of Maniac Magee begins, as he changes the lives of a racially divided small town with his amazing and legendary feats.
S. Epatha Merkerson narrates.
