16 top audiobooks to diversify children’s playlists
By Fabia Turner
Posted: 05.01.26
In February 2025, the National Literacy Trust (NLT) reported that children today are more likely to enjoy audio content than reading a book. In their 2024 survey, just over 42% of 8- to 18-year-olds said they spent their free time listening to audiobooks or podcasts, the highest increase since the NLT began tracking listening habits in 2020. This compares with just 34.6% who preferred reading in their spare time.
Children listening to audiobooks is nothing new: it was a pretty staple activity for schoolchildren growing up in the ’80s, ’90s and early ’00s — anyone remember Coomber cassette players? What has changed is the widespread availability of audiobooks on numerous devices and platforms for young people, and the pronounced decline in reading physical books, which is now at crisis levels.
Rather than force children to engage with ’proper’ books we do have to move with the times and accept their changing reading needs, offering them opportunities to enjoy stories through whatever medium they prefer, in line with the goverment’s National Year of Reading Go All In campaign.
Earlier this year The Guardian published a list of 7 audiobooks for children and teens, prompted by the NLT research. Inspired by this list, we’ve teamed up with Libro.fm to offer our very own diverse list of audiobooks, great inclusive children’s fiction chapter books and novels that celebrate diverse backgrounds, broaden perspectives, and help all children feel seen.
Here are 16 inclusive children’s audiobooks that kids aged 6 and over will love, listed in order of age suitability.
1. Dave Pigeon by Swapna Haddow
Age: 6+
Narrator: Sam Devereaux
Duration: 1h 4min
Themes: friendship, animals, courage
Story in a nutshell: Dave and Skipper plot to banish Mean Cat so they can rule the roost. But will any of their hare-brained schemes work?
Why it’s great: an award-winner from British-South Asian author, Swapna Haddow, this pacy, quirky story, written from a pigeon’s point of view, will have children belly-laughing all day! And Sam Devreaux’s distinctive voiceover suits Dave’s character perfectly.
Available to buy here
2. The Great (Food) Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Raúf
Age: 6+
Narrator: Theo Solomon
Duration: 1h 23 mins
Themes: food poverty, friendship, crime
Story in a nutshell: when donations destined for the local food bank are stolen, Nelson and his Breakfast Club friends are determined to find the thief.
Why it’s great: with crisp, clear and appropriate voiceover, this well-written crime mystery, which empathetically tackles issues around food poverty, feels timely and important amid today’s ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Available to buy here
3. Grimwood: Attack of the Stink Monster! by Nadia Shireen
Age: 6+
Duration: 3h 4min
Narrator: Adam Buxton
Themes: kindness, sibling bonds, community, animals
Story in a nutshell: rumours about a stink monster have been circulating in Grimwood. Could it be a yeti, or is there more to it than meets the eye?
Why it’s great: time will fly as kids listen to this laugh-out-loud story from award-winning creator Nadia Shireen. Full of wonderful, wacky woodland characters, it’s brilliantly read with verve by comedian and actor Adam Buxton.
Available to buy here
4. The Marvellous Granny Jinks and Me: Animal Magic by Serena Holly
Age: 6+
Duration: 1h 21min
Narrator: Debra Michaels
Themes: magic, family, animals, school
Story in a nutshell: Jada and Granny Jinks are excited about the Magic Society’s animal-themed showcase, but can they get mischievous cat Luna to perform with them?
Why it’s great: featuring a Black main character and her charismatic grandma, and with an authentic-sounding voiceover, this wonderful story about the joy of magic and family bonds is a delight to listen to.
Available to buy here
5. Tiger Warrior: Fight for the Cursed Unicorn by Maisie Chan
Age: 6+
Duration: 1h 10min
Narrator: Zheng Xi Yong
Themes: family, Zodiac animals, Chinese mythology (also touches on racism and school bullying)
Story in a nutshell: after encountering a school bully, Jack must fight a curse that could destroy the Jade Palace and its kingdom!
Why it’s great: at just over 1 hour, this is a quick-listen story with truly authentic representation of Chinese culture (also in the voiceover), mythology and epic fight scenes that will keep young audiences hooked!
Available to buy here
6. Space Blasters: Suzie and the Comet of Chaos by Kevin & Katie Tsang
Age: 6+
Duration: 2h 16min
Narrator: Sabrina Pui Yee Chin
Themes: space, science, inventions
Story in a nutshell: when an invention goes terribly wrong, Suzie sets about travelling to other planets to help others and accidentally zooms into a strange galaxy!
Why it’s great: with funny, alien voices in the narration and science facts galore, this thrilling space-themed adventure is a great listen.
Available to buy here
7. Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian
Age: 7+
Duration: 1h 44min
Narrator: Waleed Akhtar
Themes: bullying, school, family, friendship
Story in a nutshell: new home, new school… and a nasty new bully! Trouble’s ahead for Muslim kid Omar as he attempts to settle in and make new friends.
Why it’s great: written by an Own Voice Muslim Pakistani author and featuring hilarious, heart-warming moments, this award-winning story offers an authentic and relatable portrayal of British-South Asian family life. Children will be captivated by Waleed Aktar’s chatty and warm schoolkid voiceover.
Available to buy here
8. Harley Hitch and the Fossil Mystery by Vashti Hardy
Age: 7+
Duration: 2h 18min
Narrator: Ciaran Saward
Themes: STEM, friendship, grandparents, inventions
Story in a nutshell: calamity and chaos ensue for young inventor Harley when her ambitious time experiment malfunctions. Can Inventia be saved?
Why it’s great: with clear, dynamic voiceover and a strong mixed-heritage female lead, this Jurassic-themed mystery-adventure is brilliant for dinosaur fans!
Available to buy here
9. The Accidental Diary of B.U.G. by Jen Carney
Age: 7+
Duration: 2h 36min
Narrator: Ashna Rabheru
Themes: family, friendship, adoption, school, LGBTQIA+
Story in a nutshell: when the new girl at school starts acting shady, Billie decides it’s time to take action.
Why it’s great: full of side-splitting, well-observed jokes, this relatable, light-hearted diary-style audiobook, with a cheery, engaging voiceover, also features positive LGBTQIA+ representation through protagonist Billie’s two mums.
Available to buy here
10. Indigo Wilde and the Unknown Wilderness by Pippa Curnick
Age: 7+
Duration: 1h 37min
Narrator: Imogen Wilde
Themes: adoption, magic, family
Story in a nutshell: Indigo and Quigley go on a magical adventure into the Unknown Wilderness to solve the mystery of their missing parents!
Why it’s great: with expressive voiceover that enhances the joyously rich descriptive storytelling, this entertaining tale with a diverse cast will have children’s imaginations running wild!
Available to buy here
11. Meet the Maliks, Twin Detectives: The Cookie Culprit by Zanib Mian
Age: 7+
Duration: 2h 24min
Narrator: Asmara Gabrielle
Themes: food, religion, family, crime
Story in a nutshell: twin troubles abound as Maysa and Musa seek to uncover the culprit of the cookie crime at their local mosque
Why it’s great: with a lively, authentic voiceover, this hilarious, mystery chapter book authentically depicts British Muslim families, community and culture. The book version won our IBC Awards in 2024.
Available to buy here
12. Dreamweavers: Night of the Scary Fairies by Annabelle Sami
Age: 7+
Duration: 2h 29min
Narrator: Zenia Starr
Themes: dreams (including nightmares), dual worlds, friendship, myths
Story in a nutshell: when schoolkid Tito befriends new girl Neena, she introduces him to the amazing, thrilling, magical world of dreaweaving.
Why it’s great: this entralling and original fantasy adventure, with warm, intriguing narration, features a South Asian main character and same-sex parents.
Available to buy here
13. Pia’s Pet Club: Puppy Problem by Serena Patel
Age: 7+
Duration: 2h 55min
Narrator: Krupa Pattani
Themes: pets, dogs, family separation, sibling rivalry, community
Story in a nutshell: Pia is desperate for a pet dog but isn’t allowed one. But when a neighbour needs help to train his puppy, it’s the chance she’s been waiting for!
Why it’s great: highly relatable, warm and fun, Serena Patel offers a wholehearted representation of a modern South Asian co-parented family, a perspective not often portrayed in children’s audiobooks. There’s plenty of animal facts, and former Hollyoaks actress Krupa Pattani’s Brummie narration feels very fitting, too!
Available to buy here
14. Kyan Green and the Infinity Racers by Colm Field
Age: 8+
Duration: 7h 29min
Narrator: Theo Solomon
Themes: multiverse, cars, space, family, money
Story in a nutshell: when Kyan finds an old car game, he has no idea it will pull him into a high-octane race in a parallel universe, offering a million-pound prize that could solve his family’s money trouble for good!
Why it’s great: with a thoroughly modern, diverse cast of characters, this lengthy, action-packed multiverse adventure, featuring a playful, well-paced voiceover, will particularly appeal to children who love in-depth fantasy adventures and gaming.
Available to buy here
15. The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Beast Beyond the Fence by Marcus Rashford and Alex Falase-Koya
Age: 8+
Duration: 2h 31min
Narrator: Kenton Thomas
Themes: friendship, football, monsters
Story in a nutshell: all the best clubs have a secret hideout, but football-obsessed Marcus and his schoolfriends would prefer theirs wasn’t haunted!
Why it’s great: the brainchild of Black-British England footballer Marcus Rashford, this funny, spooky, mystery-adventure is sure to delight a wide range of listeners. The use of a male Northern accent for the narration is refreshing, too!
Available to buy here
16. The Secret Sunshine Project by Benjamin Dean
Age: 8+
Duration: 6h 31min
Narrator: Amanda Shodeko
Themes: family, grief, siblings, community, LGBTQIA+
Story in a nutshell: after Dad’s passing, 11-year-old Bea is determined to recreate the last happy day shared by her grieving family, at Pride. But a local killjoy has other ideas.
Why it’s great: with lively, clear narration, this truly intersectional story celebrates love, possibly the best grandma ever, and the sheer power of empathy.
Available to buy here
Audiobook giveaway!
As the National Year of Reading gets underway, we’re celebrating stories in all their forms. That’s why we’ve partnered with Libro.fm to give away 25 audiobooks to lucky IBC followers!
The giveaway opens this Friday 9 January on our Instragram, so do look out for the post.
To enter:
- Follow us on Instagram at @ibc_reads
- Like the IBC x LIbro.fm giveaway post
- Tag a friend who loves a good story
- Sign up to our newsletter for a bonus entry (optional)
Winners will be chosen at random and contacted via Instagram DM and given instructions on how to redeem their prize.
Entry closes at midnight on 31 January 2026. See Instagram for full T&Cs.
Good luck, and happy listening!
And finally...
Enjoying diverse and inclusive audiobooks could kickstart your children’s interest in reading more widely. And if they show interest in the physical versions, you can read full reviews for all of the above titles on our website.
Ready to get started? Explore the IBC website to find inspiring inclusive books to encourage your child’s love of reading.
Check out our expertly reviewed inclusive books for babies right through to children aged 9 by clicking ‘Search books’ and ‘Search booklists’. All titles are good-quality reads, richly diverse in format, topics and representation.
Fabia Turner is Head of Content at IBC and the Founder of the Jericho Prize for Children’s Writing. She is also a former primary teacher and educational book editor with a love of children’s literature.
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