If we're being honest, this category encompasses more than just a genre. It's got family-friendly fantasy, multivoice immersive podcasts, hilarious (and more serious) history. It's got issue-driven fiction, it's got nostalgia, and above all else, it's a category that should bring joy to listeners of all ages while fostering a life-long love of stories. We ask a lot from kids these days, and the stories they listen to need to do a lot of heavy lifting. We believe this year's top picks meet that bar. Whether you have family road trips in your near future or cozy nights at home perfect for listening, we hope these selections will become perennial favorites that your family will enjoy for years to come.
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Boasting a remarkable cast of award-winning Canadian talent, including Sandra Oh, Catherine O’Hara, and Victor Garber, this fresh and inspired dramatization of the classic we all know and love cannot help but delight. The immersive sound design (enhanced in Dolby Atmos) transported me to Prince Edward Island in a swirl of nostalgia and warmth. Above all, Michela Luci shines as Anne Shirley—exuding the wide-eyed enthusiasm for everything Anne finds magical in her new life, and providing a hopeful, happy listening experience that I can’t wait to share with my whole family. —Emily C.
Based on the classic Nickelodeon series that undoubtedly started my enduring obsession with all things macabre, I found no sweeter treat this spooky season than listening to Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Official Podcast. Truly, I love everything about Halloween, from the childlike joy that carving pumpkins brings to the thrills of embracing what genuinely frightens me. This taste of nostalgia, bundled up in six spine-tingling episodes that eerily creak with their immersive soundscapes, provides the best of both worlds and is perfect for both up-and-coming and veteran goth kids alike. —Haley H.
The promise of this listen was irresistible—a feminist middle-grade fantasy featuring a strong (ginger-haired!) heroine, penned AND narrated by none other than Ginger Spice herself, Gerri Halliwell-Horner. As a former Spice Girls fangirl, I was sold but also nervous—sometimes when notable figures turn to writing, the results are mixed. After listening, I honestly believe Halliwell-Horner was born to write this. Equally steeped in history and mystery, this gripping tale was unpausable, and Rosie Frost’s strength and resilience serves as an inspiration for girls everywhere (this one included), no matter their age! —E.C.
Our protagonist, Johannes, is a park-dwelling “free dog” who relishes nothing as much as running fast and basking in the sun, but he is also incredibly curious. His perspective serves as the perfect allegory for the wonderment of childhood—seen through his eyes, the mundane is magical and marvelous, and I was swept back in time to those moments when every new thing felt like an epiphany. You’ll find yourself immersed in that fleeting but palpable sense that anything is possible, and Ethan Hawke’s narration delivers the chaotic joy that this story deserves. Johannes’s glorious laughter “ha-ha-hooooooo!!” will be happily stuck in my head for a long time to come. —E.C.
A wildly fun adventure with the coolest plant magic you can imagine, author Pari Thomson’s debut will keep you guessing around every corner. Daisy is searching for her missing mom when she stumbles upon a portal that leads to a new world called Greenwild. There, nature is treasured and plants are revered for the magic they hold, literally. While Daisy searches for her mother in Greenwild, she enters a magical school—accompanied by her kitten, Napoleon—and makes new friends that are as diverse as the enchanting plants of Greenwild. Narrator Sophia Nomvete nails the colorful cast of characters, and the world is so lush and alive that you might find it hard to return to the regular world of the “Greyside” when you finish. —Melissa B.
The entertaining KIDZ BOP Never Stop: The Tour Bus Adventures scripted podcast hits all the right notes, offering a behind-the-scenes look at life on the road for the popular music group. The Dolby Atmos-enhanced soundscape had my daughter and me feeling like we were actually on tour, going from sound check to a battle-of-the-bands competition aboard a cruise ship to a well-deserved day off at the water park. Along the way, the group grapples with homesickness, friendship drama, and school stress, while performing a few of their hit songs. We couldn't help but sing along! —Margaret H.
I prefer my History with a side of rueful irony, and I love true-but-funny listens narrated by stellar voices, so I was an immediate fan of Vikings!. Scott McCormick and the full cast (including Ray Porter, Khristine Hvam, Therese Plummer, and Marc Vietor, just to name a few) surpassed my expectations. Why I think it's one of the year’s best listens, however, is more personal—I was able to share this listen with my nephew because it’s kid-friendly (in a way that Wagner opera, Vikings on TV, and unexpurgated Norse myths are not!). We laughed and learned together, and that experience was truly the best of the year. —Christina H.
The Story Pirates' Game On! podcast is a slam dunk for the whole family. This sports-focused series, created in partnership with NBA star Steph Curry’s Unanimous Media, strikes the perfect balance between exciting and educational to entertain fans of all ages. Each episode tackles a lesser-known aspect of sports history such as famous sports curses, NBA fashion trends, and the signature moves of famous athletes. While the stories are excellent, the performances here are the real fun. The Story Pirates crew bring their signature high-energy humor, with memorable guest appearances from Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall and championship disc golfer Paige Pierce. —M.H.
While we all know and love the movie versions of The Little Mermaid, this vibrant adaptation—and its ending—holds closer to the original Hans Christian Andersen tale. Between the thoughtful retelling from writer Dina Gregory, the lyrical voice and original music from megastar Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and the Dolby Atmos-enhanced sound design, this production is a truly immersive experience that calls you to the depths of the ocean where your heart will be broken, and then mended again. —E.C.
I knew I was going to love Nic Blake and the Remarkables almost as soon as I started listening. Angie Thomas pulls threads of mystery and magic together right from the start, and you can’t help but enjoy listening to the story through Nic’s snarky, headstrong perspective, as narrated so effervescently by Joniece Abbott-Pratt. Nic is a book nerd, like many of us listeners, and she’s also a secret magic wielder. She finds out her favorite book series is more real than she thought, and much closer to home than she could have imagined. It’s a heady mix for fantasy lovers everywhere! —M.B.
The Baker Street Four is absolutely perfect if you're looking for a gateway to Sherlock lore for the young people in your lives! Penny Chrimes has created a super fun reimagining of the Arthur Conan Doyle classic, brought to life with the help of a marvelous cast of BritBox stars. It's funny, quick-paced, smart, and unpausable—and hearing the kids solving the big mysteries is awesome. —Heather A.
When I saw an anti-fatphobic audiobook aimed at middle-grade boys, I was thrilled! When I downloaded and listened to it, I was gobsmacked. Jarrett Lerner lays bare the embarrassment and shame a kid feels realizing that others' views of him affect how he views himself. Because the protagonist is looking back from a safe, adult perspective, the story is appropriate for young readers, and the influence of a character who positively shifts Will’s self-image triumphs in the end. It’s Will’s pain, however, narrated by Eric Yang, that makes this story—and the redemptive arc—exceptionally satisfying for any listener. —C.H.
Marjan, the high-school sophomore protagonist of Once There Was, reminded me at times of The Hunger Games’s Katniss Everdeen, as both struggled to move forward after the death of a father. And like A Wrinkle in Time’s Meg Murray, Marjan inherits from her father a (literal) fantastic quest to find out what happened to him and to salvage his life’s work. However, Marjan has her own voice that transcends classic tropes. As narrated by Nikki Massoud, Once There Was earns Best of the Year consideration because I cared about every grief-stricken, suspenseful, heroic moment of the heroine’s journey. —C.H.
Every Jerry Craft graphic novel adaptation is an absolute delight. The newest one, School Trip, finds the whole crew we fell in love with in New Kid up to all kinds of hijinx in Paris (peppered, as always, with narrator Jordan’s astute, hilarious observations). The immersive multicast will have adults and kids cracking up from the word go, but there’s real wisdom here as well. Never heavy-handed or patronizing, Craft delivers relatable lessons on bullying and acceptance that demonstrate how to navigate tricky social situations with grace and integrity. —E.C.
Willie Mae Brown has been publicly performing stories of her childhood since 2012, and her mesmeric gift is on full display in this collection. Part monologue, part poetry, and 100 percent immersive, her recollections of the Selma of her youth amid the dawn of the Civil Rights era reflect the innocence of a child’s perspective, yet contain a multitude of sharp, sensory-rich memories honed over years of reflection. And what remarkable, nation-changing memories they are. Narrator Karen Chilton is an absolute star—her precise ability to distinguish the myriad voices ensure the story remains accessible for kids. —E.C.
