Category: Young Adult Audiobooks

In, A Little Princess, Seven-year-old Sara Crewe comes to London to attend Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies, where she must live apart from her adored father. Sara is a bright and imaginative child who is both loved (for her friendliness) and hated (for her father’s wealth) at Miss Minchin’s. After several years as Miss Minchin’s show pupil, news comes that Captain Crewe has died penniless, and left Sara destitute. Miss Minchin, no longer having the prospect of benefiting from the Captain’s wealth quickly changes her tune, and shows her true colors. Minchin keeps poor Sara, desperately grieving the loss of her beloved father, on as an unpaid drudge. The girl is starved, worked for long hours, sent out in all kinds of weather, poorly dressed in outgrown and worn-out clothes, and deprived of warmth or a decent bed, in the attic. True to her nature, she continues to be kind and polite to everyone, including those who treat her badly. In the end, a mysterious benefactor comes to her aid, and the story comes to a happy ending with a joyous discovery for Sara.

5 Hours and 39 Minutes.

Continue reading A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Young Diamond, the gentle son of a poor London coachman, lives a humble yet happy life with his family. One night, he is visited by the mysterious and beautiful North Wind, a great lady with long flowing hair who sweeps him away on strange and wonderful adventures. Sometimes she carries him to distant lands filled with beauty and peace, while other times she brings him to witness sorrow, hardship, and loss. Through it all, Diamond learns to see the world with unusual courage, faith, and kindness, even when his own family faces poverty and illness. Though others think him odd or foolish, Diamond’s pure heart, cheerful spirit, and trust in the North Wind make him a light to those around him. George MacDonald weaves a tale that is both enchanting and deeply moving, blending fairy-tale fantasy with timeless lessons of love, sacrifice, and hope.

8 Hours and 49 Minutes.

Continue reading At the Back of the North Wind by George Macdonald

When Phronsie is kidnapped by an organ grinder, she is rescued by young Jasper King and his dog Prince, both of whom soon become fast friends with the Peppers. The family so charms Jasper and his father that soon they invite the family to live with them. Mr. King makes Mrs. Pepper his housekeeper and does everything in his power to entertain and educate the children. Though the Kings surround the Pepper children with luxury, the values of hard work, humility, and togetherness are still firmly enforced by their mother. Though they live with an upper-class father and son, the older children are aware they’ll someday work for their livings. The stories of the Pepper family have delighted children for generations!

6 Hours and 57 Minutes.

Continue reading Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney

A warm and loving story, full of touching moments, Heidi, transports the listener from the fine air and freedom of the mountaintop, to the confines of the bustling city of Frankfurt, then back to the peaks again, bounding in flowered fields with goats at your heels and sky utterly surrounding you. We meet Heidi when she is 5, led up the mountain by her aunt who has raised the orphan, but must leave now for a position in Frankfurt. In a mountain cottage overlooking the valley Heidi meets, and is now to live with, her grandfather, thought to be a hard and eccentric man by the nearby villagers. It is Heidi and her sweet and free nature that touches and softens the heart of the old man, bringing about a deep and touching bond between the two. When Heidi is taken from the mountains and nearly doesn’t make it back again, the most humorous as well as most heart-wringing scenes occur. All she learns during her absence from the mountain she brings back as seeds that will grow to benefit everyone around her. The  story of Heidi is filled with the child’s wonder, devotion, and sometimes humorous good intentions, the endearing traits that have lead the book to become a favorite among classic children’s literature.

9 Hours and 34 Minutes.

Continue reading Heidi by Johanna Spyri

This story is about an American lad of 7 years old who lives with his young widowed mother in New York. He spends his days with his friend the grocery man Mr. Hobbs, the boot black Dick, and other young lads from his town. His best friend is his mother, whom he calls dearest, because that is what his papa used to call her. Cedric has curly blond hair, a sturdy young body, and a beautiful face that is only matched by his sweet temperament. He is always thinking of others and what they might need. One day, an English lawyer comes to Cedric’s house with news that will change his young life forever. Cedric’s papa was the son of a great Earl in England. The earl has lost all three of his sons and is now looking for his heir. He is a crusty old gentlemen with a hard, cold heart., who has spent his life chasing after his own pleasures and not caring for the needs of others, especially the needs his tenantry. He is extremely prejudiced against Americans and was outraged when his youngest son married an American woman. His proud heart views with disgust his young heir, before he even meets him, expecting him to be rude, uneducated, and selfish. Little does he know that meeting little Cedric will change his life forever. The sweet nature and innate kindness of the boy begins to rub off on the old earl, and he comes to see that Cedric, who befriends and cares for the poor and needy on the Earl’s estate, will be a better Earl than he has been.

5 Hours and 55 Minutes.

Continue reading Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Taking place during the American Civil War, The Red Badge of Courage is the story of a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Overcome with shame, he longs for a wound, a “red badge of courage,” to counteract his cowardice. When his regiment once again faces the enemy, Henry takes courage and becomes one of the best fighters in his battalion as well as taking up the flag for his regiment as standard-bearer. The novel is known for its distinctive style, which includes realistic battle sequences as well as the repeated use of color imagery, and ironic tone. Separating itself from a traditional war narrative, Crane’s story reflects the inner experience of its protagonist (a soldier fleeing from combat) rather than the external world around him. With enduring ability to hold the reader’s attention The Red Badge of Courage still stands as a landmark of American fiction.

4 Hours and 40 Minutes.

Continue reading Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

Ruth and Alice DeVere and their father Hosmer struggle to make ends meet in New York City – times are hard, even for a talented actor like Mr. DeVere. Just as he successfully auditions for a new play, an old voice affliction renders him terribly hoarse and he loses the role. Despite voice rest and medical treatment, Mr. DeVere’s voice fails to improve, and it is impossible to find theatre work.

A friend and neighbour in their apartment building suggests that Mr. DeVere tries acting in the moving pictures (which being silent, would not need him to speak at all) but Mr. DeVere considers that business to be common and cheap. However, when they receive an eviction notice, and local shops refuse to extend credit, Mr. DeVere may have no choice … and where he goes, his daughters will follow.

4 Hours and 27 Minutes.

Continue reading The Moving Picture Girls by Laura Lee Hope

The Outdoor Girls of Deepdale was the first book in a long-running series centering around four girls: Betty Nelson, Mollie Billette, Amy Stonington, and Grace Ford. They are a wholesome bunch of girls, with a strong and good friendship, always ready for a lark. The series highlights the escapades and activities of the group, who decide to form a “Camping and Tramping Club”. Due to the girls’ many outdoor activities they become known as the “Outdoor Girls” in their city of Deepdale. The friends go on many exciting adventures and solve mysteries along the way. In this book the girls go on a long walking tour and in the process find a hundred dollar bill. Who owns the money and why is such a mysterious note attached? Listen in to find out!

3 Hours and 55 Minutes.

Continue reading The Outdoor Girls of Deepdale by Laura Lee Hope

Edith Nesbit’s classic story, in which three children, Roberta, Phyllis, and Peter are living a comfortable suburban life with their parents, a cook, and servant. One day two men arrive to visit their father and he leaves with them. The children wonder what’s going on, but their mother doesn’t want them to worry and tells them not to ask questions. Due to their father’s continuing absence, they are forced to move to the country, and are now in poorer circumstances, their mother providing what she can through the stories she writes. Delightfully, the children’s good  and cheerful natures serve them well in this turn of events, and they resiliently find things to enjoy in their new life. They come to know and love the ways of the nearby railways, developing the habit of waving to the train as it goes past and sometimes the people in the coaches wave back. Their friendly habit draws the attention and eventually friendship of one old gentleman who rides the trains, and he comes to help them in various ways. Eventually they find out what happened to their father, and to their great joy, he returns to them, quite fittingly, by train.  A happy ending to an engaging story, another great book by E. Nesbit!

4 Hours and 58 Minutes.

Continue reading The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

John Dolittle, M. D., was once a famous doctor. But, then he learned to talk Animal-Language, from his pet parrot, Polynesia, acquired several interesting pets, and gradually began to lose his patients. Finally the only patient who remains, the Cat’s-Meat-Man, makes a suggestion – why doesn’t he give up treating people and become an animal doctor? And so, Dr. Dolittle becomes an animal doctor, and life seems to be going well for a time. Unfortunately, when the good doctor adds an escaped crocodile to his store of pets, even the animals stop coming to see him. What to do?!? Children of all ages – and adults too – will enjoy the story of the Doctor and his animals as he travels to Africa and back, braves shipwrecks and pirates, escapes from prison, and tries to reunite a little boy with his kidnapped uncle, all with the help of his charming animal friends. Please note: this book was written at a different time and includes attitudes which are now considered racially derogatory. Modern editions (still under copyright) are available with some of this changed – this recording is of the original public domain text, as it was first published in 1920.

2 Hours and 23 Minutes.

Continue reading The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting