Finding the right kid’s book can be tricky, and it can be equally disappointing when you find one you or your child loves, only for it to end. That is why series are so magical - a whole collection of stories about your favourite characters can be available for you to enjoy. We’ve made a list of the best kids book series for the youngest audiences right up to teen listeners.
Fans of Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary will love this adorable tale about the third-grader, Judy Moody. Precocious and funny, she gets into all sorts of hijinks and shenanigans along with her little brother Stink. Judy is a great role model and example for young audiences as she is a strong individual who is very moody. Not moody in the sense of always unhappy, but constantly changing, expressing, and trying to understand her moods. It is a great way for young listeners to get in touch with their feelings, and also learn that expressing themselves is normal and that everyone has lots of different moods.
On top of this, Judy’s adventures are fun, silly, and have the right amount of playfulness and morals in them to be ideal for both parents and children. Barbara Rosenblat narrates the tales with enthusiasm, and the engaging warm voice needed for young kids. An excellent choice, with over 16 titles, it is a heartwarming series with longevity.
Geronimo Silton is a mouse, but he is certainly not your average mouse. Geronimo runs a newspaper, who winds up getting involved in all sorts of interesting and exciting adventures. The books are intended for children aged 8-12 and focus on both a journalistic approach to the story, but also the fun and energy of adventures around the world. Stilton’s tales are both informative and entertaining, making them ideal for this age group, and also parent-approved.
Edward Herrmann brings Elisabetta Dami’s story to life with enthusiasm and energy. These stories were originally written in Italian - and are hugely popular in Italy - but have now been translated into English and narrated in these fun-filled audiobook adaptations.
Ivy and Bean are two unusual best friends. In fact, they are complete opposites. Ivy is quiet and reserved and Bean is a junior witch in training. Together, though, they form an inseparable duo that takes on the world together. From backyard shenanigans to ghost stories, fossils, and grand adventures, they tackle everything side by side.
This classic friendship tale is ideal for young audiences. The 7-year-old characters get into all the fun and trouble that young children do. Perfect for your kids ages 6-8, these stories are fun, heartwarming examples of how two very different people can be the very best of friends. Cassandra Morris brings this series to life with an enthusiastic kid-friendly narration that is sure to reach young audiences.
The Last Kids on Earth series is perfect for tween and young teen listeners. The main character, Jack Sullivan, is an inventive and brave 13-year old who, with the help of his carefully selected band of friends, aims to take on the monsters, ghouls and zombies that threaten his safety in his treehouse hideaway. Imaginative, exciting, and full of adventure, this series is ideal for teen audiences.
Robbie Daymond brings the audiobook adaptations to life, voicing these stories with skill and energy. This 10 book series will take listeners on a journey of friendship, comradery, and bravery as the characters fight against the ‘monsters’ that aim to take them out.
The Artemis Fowl series is one of the most well-known teen series out there. The main character is 12, and the target audience is similar - being perfect for tweens and young teens keen on adventure stories. Artemis is a criminal mastermind, and exceptionally smart. But that doesn't mean he doesn’t get into trouble. Artemis’s ambition can sometimes be the downfall of him, and he constantly finds himself in too deep, dealing with the trouble he never saw coming.
Both the character and the series have captured the hearts of teen audiences, becoming favourites among young listeners for the fun, adventure, and intelligence behind both the story and the character. The audiobook adaptation is read by narrator Adrian Dunbar.
The Jumbies is an intriguing fast-paced tale steeped in Caribbean folklore. This excellent children’s series is full of dark magic and sneaky characters, creating a world that is truly exciting for younger audiences. The main character Corrine La Mer is brave, strong-willed, and generally not afraid of anything, making her the perfect heroine of this series of adventure stories.
The Haitian style of writing lends itself extremely well to audiobook adaptation and highlights the storytelling style of the tale. Robin Miles narrates the series titles expertly, capturing this essence and presenting the story with all the depth and intrigue it needs to win over skeptical young listeners.
From the creator of The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins comes this incredible children’s book series: The Underland Chronicles. This New York Times best-selling series is full of the adventure, danger and mystery audiences have come to expect from Collins. The series centers around Gregor’s accidental entry to the Underworld, which is on the edge of war. From there, he aims to figure out what happened to his father, navigate the beasts and spiders which run rampant in the underworld, and ultimately get back to his former life.
Exciting, dark and expertly told, this story is a true adventure. The series is narrated by Paul Boehmer who brings a stellar performance to these popular action-adventure stories.
The Track Series, starting with the first title, Ghost, is an incredible Young Adult series. This award-winning collection of children’s books centres on track star Ghost, as well as accompanying characters Lu, Patina and Sunny. The series is at once about running, but more deeply about the issues, traumas and problems that young teens face. The series tackles these issues with the seriousness they deserve, while still providing an entertaining and relatable story for young audiences to dive into.
The series is narrated by Guy Lockard, and for one title, Heather Alicia Simms, both of whom deliver the story with ease, in a way that translates to the target audience, and pulls in listeners.
Another giant in the world of teen lit is the Percy Jackson series. Wildly popular, these titles were a huge hit with young adult and teen audiences, and the stories picked up so much steam that they were adapted into a major motion picture film which was also very popular with young audiences.
Percy is a demi-god (half mortal, half god) who at the age of fifteen is exposed to a whole new world of mythical beings and magic he could hardly have imagined before. Enter an array of Olympians, who, paired with high school characters, make for a hilarious and exciting storyline that young audiences will love. The audiobook adaptation is narrated by Jesse Bernstein who carries the story expertly for a truly engaging performance.
Jessica Townsend’s debut work is the series Nevermoor, and the results have been a resounding success. The stories focus on the main character Morrigan Crow, who is cursed. Born on a wrong day, under the wrong circumstances, Morrigan journeys through the magical world, overcoming obstacles and accepting challenges as she goes. Jessica Townsend builds an exciting and full world that young audiences will fall head over heels for.
Narrator Gemma Whelan brings the story to life with an excellent performance that is just as dark and exciting as the story is. Young audiences will love this tale of dark magic, teen angst, and above all adventure.
