2 Audiobooks for Young Readers

by Donna Huber

Books are always a quiet activity for kids but if you have a child that doesn't read well or doesn't really like to read it can be a challenge. Audiobooks are a great option. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free audiobooks were provided for an honest review.

The One Great Gnome by Jeff Dinardo

January 2021; One Elm Books; 9781643717234
audio (2h 48m), ebook, print; fantasy

This is a delightful story for elementary and middle-grade kids. If your child is always searching for a hidden doorway in the wardrobe or looking for white rabbits to follow, then this is the perfect book.

Eleven-year-old Sarah moves with her family from New York City to rural Hadley, Connecticut. She's eager to explore her new home and meet new friends, but she never expected to befriend an old garden gnome. Readers join Sarah as she is drawn into a secret world under our feet. Sarah uses her instincts to calm old rivalries and help the underworld elves, gnomes, and more join her in the upperworld.

As an adult I loved this story - it was very entertaining and well-written. The audiobook was easy to follow and well-narrated. If you are taking a road trip and looking for something the whole family will enjoy, then definitely get this book.

Buy The One Great Gnome at Amazon

The Wonderland Collection Lewis Carroll

June 2020; Thomas Nelson; 9780785239468
audio (7h 4m), ebook, print; fantasy

In the early months of the pandemic, I listened to a number of children's classics that I had never read. Among them was Alice in Wonderland and I did a bit of deep dive into the popularity of of this world Lewis Carroll created. During PBS's Great American Read, Allison wrote a piece on Alice in Wonderland. We also reviewed works by other authors based on the books and the Wonderland universe.

Even if you haven't read the books, you are probably familiar with the plot thanks to Disney making a movie. 

Carroll's stories are considered nonsense fiction (it's apparently a real genre) and it makes sense given how many times Alice states whatever is happening is nonsense.

This collection includes Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, and The Tangled Tales. In 2020, I listened to a different edition of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. I had never heard of A Tangled Tale until I saw it listed in this collection. 

This audiobook was released at the same time as a limited-run collector's print edition. 

I like Simon Bubb as the narrator of this collection more than the narrator of the other edition I listened to. I'm not a huge Alice fan, but Bubb's narration made me enjoy the story more. 

I think A Tangled Tale would be better read than listened to. It is kind of like word math problems and I couldn't tell if they were unsolvable or if it was because I was listening to them and couldn't keep the numbers straight. If you like those math riddle memes we see on social media, then you might enjoy this.

If you want to introduce your kids to the classics or you are a big fan of Wonderland, then I recommend this collection.

Buy The Wonderland Collection at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour. 

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