The Best Children’s and Teen’s Audiobooks of 2023

The duck in this story wants to be a detective so badly that all her friends know her penchant for solving mysteries. Detective Duck is not your average duck. Her dad is a beaver, and her friends at the Dogwood Pond where she lives include a dragonfly, frogs, and a book-loving salamander. When a huge object lands in the pool, disrupting the residents’ daily lives, it’s up to Duck to solve the case and save their home. This one is fantastic on audio and has inspiring environmental connections without being TOO on the nose. Great for listeners ages 7 and up.

Mr. Whiskers is a street-wise stray dog with a nose for trouble and a fondness for two girls he calls the Shenanigan Sisters. So when Misty and Zelda’s professor father is kidnapped, Mr. Whiskers follows that car, picking up vital clues. With the help of his street friends and the Shenanigan sisters, Mr. Whiskers leads the way to finding Mr. Shenanigan. Kids will love this gentle, funny mystery on audio. It’s perfect for listeners ages 8 and up.

Annabella Donatello has many interests, but her top two are playing softball and acting! And now, she’s getting to act in her school’s rendition of The Lion King. But her coach says that Annabella must prioritize her team over other interests or lose her place on the team, so when a softball team meeting coincides with the school play, Annabella is in a fix. This is the second book in a fun sports series for younger readers, and it’s a great depiction of overloaded kids and schedule wrangling. There’s also some friendship drama and a narrative arc about being honest. It’s very light-hearted and feel-good with a delightful omnipresent narrator.

Set in the 1940s, this debut historical verse novel delves into the lesser-known history of (prisoner-of-war) German soldiers brought to work in the United States during WWII. Claire’s brother Danny is off fighting the war while she’s working in their family’s Midwestern apple orchard, where her father has hired a bunch of POW soldiers, including one named Karl. Over time, Claire and Karl begin a tentative friendship, even as the presence of enemies in their orchard causes tensions in their community. The audiobook has multiple narrators that bring the verse format to life. Told from Karl and Claire’s perspective, this story, the history behind it, and the important themes it highlights will appeal to older middle schoolers ages 11 and up.

Chance is a three-legged dog at the Dogtown shelter, where able-bodied and robot dogs compete for attention. Thankfully, management has adopted her as the house dog. Things start to change when a new robot dog, Metal Head, comes to the pound. First off, he’s determined to run away (return home). So he hatches a plan with Chance and her mouse best friend to help an older dog get adopted in exchange for helping him escape.  But things do not go to plan, and Chance, her mouse friend, and Metal Head spend a night on the streets on an emotional adventure. As someone who isn’t into animal books, I’m shocked by how much I liked this one. It’s charming, beautifully plotted, and full of suspense, heartwarming characters, and plenty of heart. It also has sweet illustrations and concise chapters. The audiobook by Cassandra Morris is fantastic, with a jingle to introduce each chapter. Great for listeners ages 9 and up.

It’s 2020, and Matthew is sick of being inside with the pandemic raging outside. While reluctantly helping his great-grandmother sort through her belongings, he finds a picture of two girls. As she shares her experience during the Ukrainian famine, the story alternates between three narrators: Matthew, Helena, and Mila. A powerful, unforgettable account of historical events perfect for listeners ages 10 and up.

Houston is finally one step closer to his astronaut dreams when he gets into the Junior Astronaut Recruitment Program. He only wishes he could bring his younger brother Robbie with him. Robbie has cerebral palsy and needs to use a wheelchair, so even though Houston has always promised to take his brother to space, the odds seem unlikely now. At camp, Houston meets a group of kids he feels at home with and develops a crush on one of his teammates. But he also runs into his grandfather, who’s estranged from his mom. With all those things in the mix, can Houston honor his promise to Robbie? I care zero about space but I loved the characters in this story and the disability rep is so thoughtfully done. The audiobook is immersive and engaging throughout. Great for listeners ages 10 and up.

The year before Sage is in the seventh grade, her neighborhood experiences so many wildfires that the media calls it The Matchbox. She’s also experiencing social changes. Because she spends most of her time with her guy friends playing basketball, she gets bullied by other kids who expect her to stick to gender norms. When she and her mother finally move to a new neighborhood, she finds new friends but also contends with missing and losing some of her old friends. Woodson’s writing is poetic and this book is a gorgeous snapshot of a time in her life, an ode to a neighborhood and its people, and an exploration into the mind of a young girl. However, as much as I enjoyed it, I doubt that many kids will feel the same connection. Still, it could be a great classroom readaloud and the beautiful cover might draw some readers in — and of course, Woodson’s narration is fantastic. Heads up for the death of a friend and a dog. For listeners ages 10 and up.

This engaging narrative non-fiction book about the Mona Lisa heist is guaranteed to steal the hearts of history and art lovers. Despite being aimed at older middle schoolers, it includes fun black-and-white (in the ARC) illustrations to complement the story and reads more like fiction (in terms of interest level) than non-fiction. I switched to the audiobook, which I found even more absorbing than the electronic copy. Great for listeners ages 10 and up!

This book is FANTASTIC — and the audiobook is even better (a top-class full cast audiobook that feels like a movie). When the principal of the Urban Promise Prep school is murdered in his office, three boys are high on the suspect list: J.B., Trey, and Ramon. They were either in the wrong place or have the wrong reputation or affiliation. Now they must join forces, along with their loved ones to find the real killer. I’d hand this to readers ages 14 and up, especially if they loved One of Us Is Lying.

Ross Quest and her family are known for their stealing prowess. But when her mom is kidnapped on one of their missions, Ross is forced to enter the Thieves’ Gambit, a stealing contest, to pay the ransom. There, she encounters old frenemies, new first loves, and shocking revelations. This is a propulsive story that feels more like a thriller with just a touch of mystery but is enjoyable regardless. Good for ages 15 and up for some gun violence and mature content.

Sasha Johnson-Sun and Ezra Davis-Goldberg became besties in third grade but lost their friendship after an explosive fight. Now they’re in the same high school and tied for valedictorian just months before their graduation. Sasha needs to win the spot because she wants the attached scholarship and also wants to honor her late father and hardworking mother. Sasha and Ezra decide to settle things by a best-of-three, winner-take-all academic bet. But as they compete, old issues come to the fore, especially for Sasha, who keeps prioritizing “success” over all the other important things in her life. This book is a truly swoon-worthy romance with an enemies-to-lovers plot that is actually enjoyable. I loved all the family and friend connections in the story and the core theme about redefining what matters most. Hand these to teen overachievers who need a dash of fun in their lives. Heads up for infrequent profanity — best for ages 14 and up.

Lilah is a teen with hearing loss but who isn’t profoundly deaf. So she has always felt caught in the middle — not deaf enough to be part of the Deaf community and not fully hearing to fit in completely there either. But when she becomes a counselor at a summer camp for deaf and blind kids, her experiences (and the boy she falls in love with) change the way the views her disability. This is a beautiful exploration of Deaf culture with a nostalgic summer camp setting and sweet first love. This book is a great addition to the slim pickings of YA books about disability. I’d recommend this for readers ages 13+ who want to learn more about deafness and Deaf culture + are looking for a summer camp romance.