Non-U.S. Author Audible Books for a 7/8 Year old.
February 3, 2025 8:55 PM Subscribe
I have 18 audible credits that I want to get rid of so I can cancel my account. I don't really have time to listen to audio books these days, but my son loves them. He'll be 8 in April. He loves fantasy, adventure, mysteries, shipwrecks, archaelogy. Also non-fiction including, adult non-fiction. I will have to listen to them, too. Oh...and are there books about kids who love school? Or kids who hate school and then start loving it? Cause that would be great. Non-U.S. authors preferred.
My son is 7. He's in grade 2, but reads well above that level. As a general rule I get him audio books of either books that he's already read (and then it is his comfort thing (and my insanity-inducing thing) to listen to them over and over again) or books that are above his ability to read to himself. I try not to get audio books of books he could read himself but just hasn't yet because it makes it that much harder to find reading material for him.
Series he has enjoyed recently:
Percy Jackson
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
The Land of Stories
Samantha Spinner
Standalone books:
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Mummy's Curse (kids non-fiction about King Tut)
Plague Busters (kids non-fiction about pandemics/plagues).
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: (Non-fiction)
Airborne (first in a series, but he only read that one)
Darkwing (series prequel, but he's only read that one so far).
Adult Non-Fiction:
How Fast did T-Rex Run (adult science book about dinosaurs and how scientists figured things out about them -- as audiobook only)
Erebus (audiobook only -- he was interested as part of his interest in Franklin/The Nortwest passage, but this is an audiobook he dips in and out of. He's interested but I think he find it a little slow-paced).
Shipwreck Treasures: Disaster and Discovery on Canada's East Coast* (he bought this two summers ago when I let him pick out a book while we were on vacation. I bought a picture book too because I thought no way is he going to read this thing. He never touched the picture book. He still loves this book and I have to listen to endless stories about shipwrecks).
He also loves watching shipwreck and archaeology tv shows.
So I'm looking for books that engage him and that will not want to make me stab my ears after I've heard them 17 times. For fiction he tends to do better with fantasy or books about animals or such, just because realistic fiction that is at a reading level for 12ish year olds will either be too heavy content-wise or he won't really be able to relate (what does a 7 year old know of high school, crushes, etc.)
For non-fiction obviously it's all about keeping the content and the language appropriate and making sure the content isn't too complex. And also being interesting.
Oh, and he hates going to school and it's a battle. If you have a book that will magically fix this, I will buy it even if the author is the Orange Menace himeslf. (ok, I wouldn't actually buy it in that case, but you get my point).
But in general, as it says above the fold, non-US authors preferred.
* And after buying it I found out why he wanted it: He wanted to learn more about the Edmund Fitzgerald. And of course, the book doesn't cover that because it sank in Lake Superior, not the Atlantic. But then again, the book includes the Terror and the Erebus, which both sank in the arctic ocean).
My son is 7. He's in grade 2, but reads well above that level. As a general rule I get him audio books of either books that he's already read (and then it is his comfort thing (and my insanity-inducing thing) to listen to them over and over again) or books that are above his ability to read to himself. I try not to get audio books of books he could read himself but just hasn't yet because it makes it that much harder to find reading material for him.
Series he has enjoyed recently:
Percy Jackson
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
The Land of Stories
Samantha Spinner
Standalone books:
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Mummy's Curse (kids non-fiction about King Tut)
Plague Busters (kids non-fiction about pandemics/plagues).
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: (Non-fiction)
Airborne (first in a series, but he only read that one)
Darkwing (series prequel, but he's only read that one so far).
Adult Non-Fiction:
How Fast did T-Rex Run (adult science book about dinosaurs and how scientists figured things out about them -- as audiobook only)
Erebus (audiobook only -- he was interested as part of his interest in Franklin/The Nortwest passage, but this is an audiobook he dips in and out of. He's interested but I think he find it a little slow-paced).
Shipwreck Treasures: Disaster and Discovery on Canada's East Coast* (he bought this two summers ago when I let him pick out a book while we were on vacation. I bought a picture book too because I thought no way is he going to read this thing. He never touched the picture book. He still loves this book and I have to listen to endless stories about shipwrecks).
He also loves watching shipwreck and archaeology tv shows.
So I'm looking for books that engage him and that will not want to make me stab my ears after I've heard them 17 times. For fiction he tends to do better with fantasy or books about animals or such, just because realistic fiction that is at a reading level for 12ish year olds will either be too heavy content-wise or he won't really be able to relate (what does a 7 year old know of high school, crushes, etc.)
For non-fiction obviously it's all about keeping the content and the language appropriate and making sure the content isn't too complex. And also being interesting.
Oh, and he hates going to school and it's a battle. If you have a book that will magically fix this, I will buy it even if the author is the Orange Menace himeslf. (ok, I wouldn't actually buy it in that case, but you get my point).
But in general, as it says above the fold, non-US authors preferred.
* And after buying it I found out why he wanted it: He wanted to learn more about the Edmund Fitzgerald. And of course, the book doesn't cover that because it sank in Lake Superior, not the Atlantic. But then again, the book includes the Terror and the Erebus, which both sank in the arctic ocean).
Response by poster: Hah, funny you should mention it. My son was talking about what turned out to be another King Arthur this weekend and I was telling him the story of Arthur and Excaliber. Then I remembered that he'd read the magic treehouse books so I was reminded him "remember Merlin? He's the wizard in the Arthur stories. And remember Morgan? She's his sister, etc." Anyway, I had suggested I might get him The Once and Future King. I read it a long time ago (as an adult). But when I got home and looked it up on common-sense media I found out that apparently it's really more suitable for older kids as they didn't leave out the incest, murder, etc. from the Arthur legends.
OH, and while I'm threadsitting, I meant to say that I could see him enjoying creative non-fiction books, but the problem is both the possibility of interspersed content not suitable for a 7 year old, and (as with any adult non-fiction), making sure it's understandable.
Oh, and he also likes history. And he has said numerous times he likes historical fiction, though I have my doubts that he's ever read any historical fiction.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:22 PM on February 3
OH, and while I'm threadsitting, I meant to say that I could see him enjoying creative non-fiction books, but the problem is both the possibility of interspersed content not suitable for a 7 year old, and (as with any adult non-fiction), making sure it's understandable.
Oh, and he also likes history. And he has said numerous times he likes historical fiction, though I have my doubts that he's ever read any historical fiction.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:22 PM on February 3
I got a lot of great answers to this related question, although I can't speak to their quality in audiobook format.
posted by dr. boludo at 3:10 AM on February 4
posted by dr. boludo at 3:10 AM on February 4
The first two Montgomery Bonbon books by Alasdair Beckett-King are available later this month. They are about a young girl who is a master sleuth and disguises herself with a mustache and trench coat to solve mysteries hat have a lot of whimsy to them.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:33 AM on February 4
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:33 AM on February 4
Fivebooks just did a series on the best audiobooks and here’s their list for the best ones for kids.
posted by Lucubrator at 4:02 AM on February 4
posted by Lucubrator at 4:02 AM on February 4
British: Philip Pullman: The Golden compass, zizou Corder: Lionboy trilogy are good adventures for this age.
posted by childofTethys at 4:38 AM on February 4
posted by childofTethys at 4:38 AM on February 4
Dava Sobel’s Longitude might be non-fiction that is of interest to him. American author, though.
posted by childofTethys at 4:58 AM on February 4
posted by childofTethys at 4:58 AM on February 4
There are a series of graphic novels on history that my kids really enjoyed from their school library: Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, which might explain your son’s statement. They rarely came home, as friends wanted to read them too, and are not audiobooks, but if his school has a library, he might try asking after them. Just thinking on positive school associations.
posted by childofTethys at 5:15 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
posted by childofTethys at 5:15 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
If he liked the Phantom Tollbooth, he might be able to understand enough of the Hobbit to like it (or if not, he could probably understand enough in a year or 2), and it meets your non-American criteria. There are a few different readers, people have strong opinions about them, listen to the sample for each to decide which one to get.
posted by yaj at 6:52 AM on February 4
posted by yaj at 6:52 AM on February 4
The audiobooks of the How to Train Your Dragon book series by Cressida Cowell are excellent--very different from the films and read by David Tennant. Her Wizards of Once books are also great and also read by Tennant (and, as it turns out, about king Arthur, though that's a spoiler). And finally, we've also really enjoyed the Which Way to Anywhere series which she reads. All of these have been listened to dozens of times by our girls who are about your son's age.
Our recent discovery is Simon James Green who normally writes YA, but who has a couple books (Sleepover Takeover and Life of Riley) which are pitched younger and are more in the awkward kid in comedic situations genre. I've not actually listened all the way through them, but my wife had told me multiple times how funny she thought Sleepover Takeover was, which, given that she despises a lot of the books my daughters listen to is a good sign.
posted by nangua at 1:24 PM on February 4 [1 favorite]
Our recent discovery is Simon James Green who normally writes YA, but who has a couple books (Sleepover Takeover and Life of Riley) which are pitched younger and are more in the awkward kid in comedic situations genre. I've not actually listened all the way through them, but my wife had told me multiple times how funny she thought Sleepover Takeover was, which, given that she despises a lot of the books my daughters listen to is a good sign.
posted by nangua at 1:24 PM on February 4 [1 favorite]
In the spirit of Why Did the T-Rex run, perhaps Ed Yong's An Immense World ? There's a young readers edition that is scheduled to come out, and an adult version of the audiobook that is out now. So maybe waiting for the young readers edition and then introducing the audiobook?
I listened to the audiobook of the regular version and don't recall anything standing out as inappropriate - maybe an occasional swear. It's very well narrated and engaging, and I wish I'd read it when I was a kid. Ed lives in the US but is British.
posted by kserra at 5:12 AM on February 5
I listened to the audiobook of the regular version and don't recall anything standing out as inappropriate - maybe an occasional swear. It's very well narrated and engaging, and I wish I'd read it when I was a kid. Ed lives in the US but is British.
posted by kserra at 5:12 AM on February 5
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Hall series might appeal. Great audiobooks; I re-listen every so often because of the reader.
posted by Nosey Mrs. Rat at 8:10 PM on February 6
posted by Nosey Mrs. Rat at 8:10 PM on February 6
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posted by miscbuff at 9:04 PM on February 3 [1 favorite]