Great Middle Grade Audiobooks
Audiobooks are a great alternative to reading a physical book. You can listen along to an audiobook whilst travelling, relaxing or even whilst you're doing schoolwork. They also make reading more accessible for people with disabilities which would make reading a physical book difficult or impossible, meaning that everyone is able to enjoy books!
We've come up with some audiobooks perfect for middle graders (8-12 years old). The ones we've come up with are really immersive and fun. The best thing about audiobooks is that they sometimes use a full cast to read the parts - so it makes it easier to understand who is who when they're talking.. Other times, the reader of the audiobook will use different voices and accents. These really help you to imagine the stories inside your mind.
There are lots of ways to listen to audiobooks - some free and some paid for. The paid for options include using Audible and Scribd. You can listen to audiobooks for free if you have a library membership. Library apps that you can use include Borrow Box and Libby.
Here's six audiobooks that we recommend listening to!
The Brilliant World of Tom Gates - Liz Pichon
"Back to school, but it's not all bad. We're entering Rooster in a dog show, the School Disco and my birthday are coming up so this term's going to be amazing! Mostly because Delia's not invited to any of these. There's only one small problem with my birthday, Granny Mavis says she's going to cook . . . uh oh!"
Genre: Realistic fiction | Humour
This is the first book in an 18 book series - so there's enough to keep you entertained for weeks!
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling
"Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy - until he is rescued by an owl, taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learns to play Quidditch and does battle in a deadly duel. The Reason ... HARRY POTTER IS A WIZARD!"
Genre: Fantasy
There are 7 books in the Harry Potter series. We would recommend this series for slightly older readers (10+) as some scenes can be quite creepy and sometimes scary - especially the ones later in the series.
Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan
"Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea."
Genre: Fantasy
There are lots of books in the Percy Jackson series, and Rick Riordan has created some other amazing books - we recommend every single one of them!
High Rise Mystery - Sharna Jackson
The detective duo everyone is dying to meet!
Summer in London is hot, the hottest on record, and there's been a murder in THE TRI: the high-rise home to resident know-it-alls, Nik and Norva. Who better to solve the case? Armed with curiosity, home-turf knowledge and unlimited time - until the end of the summer holidays anyway.
Genre: Detective | Mystery
Did you know we had a live author interview with Sharna Jackson?! You can watch the video of that interview by clicking here, or you can read our blog about it by clicking here!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney
"Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into a new year and a new school where undersize weaklings share the corridors with kids who are taller, meaner and already shaving.Desperate to prove his new found maturity, which only going up a grade can bring, Greg is happy to have his not-quite-so-cool sidekick, Rowley, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's popularity to his own advantage. Recorded in his diary with comic pictures and his very own words, this test of Greg and Rowley's friendship unfolds with hilarious results."
Genre: Contemporary fiction | Humour
There are lots of books in this series!
Hetty Feather - Jacqueline Wilson
"London, 1876 and Hetty Feather is just a tiny baby when her mother leaves her at the Foundling Hospital. The Hospital cares for abandoned children - but Hetty must first live with a foster family until she is big enough to go to school."
Genre: Historical Fiction