It’s been a Grinchy year. Which is why we’re busting out the twinkly lights, dusting off our favorite decorations, and stocking our playlists with music, podcasts, and most of all, sparkling kids audiobooks that bring the festive mood to all corners of the family workshop.
Our list requirements (*clears throat, unscrolls scroll*): 1) must not require any traveling, shipping, or wait time (check, check, and check) 2) must be a treat that can be shared with the whole family (or smuggled into a blanket fort) 3) must be simply the most jingle bell-ringing, stocking-stuffing, cookie-crunching, reindeer-fueling story romps of the season. Check out our picks, play a clip, and hop on this sleigh already!
You’ve seen it on Netflix, now hear the audiobook of this delightful middle grade story based on the holiday film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey! Jingle Jangle is a holiday tale set in the snow-covered town of Cobbleton, Jingle Jangle follows eccentric toymaker Jeronicus Jangle whose fanciful inventions burst with whimsy and wonder.
Narrated by Walter Matthau (who else?!), How the Grinch Stole Christmas is emblematic of the season; don’t miss this audio edition—your heart might grow three sizes upon listening.
If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, and made-for-TV-holiday specials, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by the international bestselling Stephanie Perkins. Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or Kwanzaa, there’s something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.
An Odyssey Honor and ALSC Notable Children’s Recording. Before there was Santa Claus, there was a young boy who believed in the impossible. Lemony Snicket meets Elf in A Boy Called Christmas, a warmhearted, crowd-pleasing Christmas caper.
Corduroy is excited to celebrate Christmas in Merry Christmas, Corduroy! read by award-winning narrator Bahni Turpin. Listen in as our favorite overall-wearing pal decorates his tree, bakes cookies, and wraps presents. When the snow starts falling on Christmas Eve, Corduroy hangs up his stocking and leaves a note for Santa.
A Netflix film and New York Times bestseller. A trio of today’s bestselling Young Adult authors—John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle—brings all the magic of the holidays to life in Let It Snow, three hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and kisses that will steal your breath away.
For Dash and Lily, it’s beginning to look a lot like…distance! Just in time for the series release of Dash & Lily on Netflix comes Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily, a new helping of love—this time across the pond as best-selling authors Rachel Cohn and David Levithan send Dash and Lily to England.
And for more Dash and Lily on audio, don’t miss The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily—and the whole interconnected series!
New Year’s Kiss is a fun and upbeat romance about a girl who has a New Year’s resolution to make the coming year epic in every way—and is willing to put herself out there for love.
Froggy has never celebrated Christmas; usually he’s taking his long winter’s nap. But not this year! In Froggy’s Best Christmas, Froggy’s best friend, Max the beaver, wakes him up to join the fun. Soon, Froggy’s gotten into the swing of things: finding a tree, wrapping presents, singing carols, and enjoying a holiday feast.
Why settle for a pony or a puppy for Christmas when you could have a dinosaur? The Christmasaurus is a rollicking audiobook from singer-songwriter and YouTuber Tom Fletcher, read by Earphones Award-winning narrator Paul Shelley.
They’re back! Rediscover the zaniest characters you’ve ever met in this bestselling series which has sold millions worldwide. The Mr. Men and Little Miss Christmas Collection includes multiple Christmas tales, all read by beloved narrator Jim Dale.
Spread some Christmas cheer with Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas! Beginning readers are introduced to the detective mystery genre. Kids can problem-solve with Nate, using logical thinking to solve mysteries.
An enchanting holiday listen, The Autobiography of Santa Claus combines historical fact with legend to deliver the definitive story of Santa Claus. And who better to lead us through seventeen centuries of Christmas magic than good ol’ Saint Nick himself? Families will delight in each chapter of this new Christmas classic—one for each cold December night leading up to Christmas!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful listening season.
And if you’re looking for audiobook gift ideas for grown-ups, be sure to check out our Holiday Picks.