A feast for the ears
Audio books for children: Ten beautiful stories – from classic to modern
There are exciting audio books for children in every age group
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Whether as a CD, download or audio stream: audio books have become an integral part of many children’s everyday lives. They are used for entertainment, help you fall asleep or make long car journeys more bearable.
Strictly speaking, an audio book is literature whose content has been published on a recording medium by a speaker. For children who can’t read (well) yet, they offer a welcome change – at home or on the go. So that they can follow the stories linguistically, there is now a large pool of popular classic books that have been set to music. Below we present ten child-friendly titles that invite you to dream.
1. We children from Bullerbü
Astrid Lindgren is a master of her craft: The Swedish author breathed (rural) life into the children of Bullerbü back in the late 1940s. The story is told from the perspective of seven-year-old Lisa, who lives and grows up on a farm with her siblings. How she perceived country life in the fictional small village of Bullerbü as a child is wonderfully summarized in the popular book series. The audio book is available here.
2. A friend like no other
The animals couldn’t be more opposite and yet find each other through a twist of fate: the ground squirrel Habbi usually flees immediately when he meets his archenemy – the wolf. But this time everything is different. The little rodent discovers an injured pack animal that urgently needs his help. It is the beginning of an unusual and wonderful, but not entirely harmless friendship.
The audio book is available here.
3. Pippi Longstocking goes on board
A classic that should not be missing from any children’s book collection are the stories about Pippi Longstocking – the strongest and bravest girl in the world. She goes on her adventures day in and day out with her best friends Tommy and Annika. But her stories about her father, Captain Efraim Longstocking, are also tough. The great thing about it is that you never get tired of hearing these stories. The audio book is available here.
4. The robber Hotzenplotz
The popular children’s book author Otfried Preußler invented this character in the 1960s – and yet he is still known like a sore thumb today: Hotzenplotz is feared by everyone, even the police. When the grandmother’s coffee grinder disappears, Seppel and Punch and Judy want to set a trap for the robber. Unfortunately, they end up trapped themselves and have to free themselves from this predicament. The audio book is available here.
5. The School of Magical Animals
Little Ida goes to a new school – and initially doesn’t feel welcome there at all. Thanks to her teacher, Miss Cornfield, she learns about a magical pet shop that is said to have talking animals. She quickly meets Rabbat, a helpful fox. And before the class knows it, almost every student has a talking pet that turns the school upside down. The audio book is available here.
6. The Neverending Story
In the novel by Michael Ende, a German writer, which was first published in 1979, the story comes to life: After Bastian Balthasar Bux, who has been harassed by his classmates, has stolen the book from an antiquarian bookstore, he begins to read it – and before he knows it he suddenly becomes part of the action. Can he save the childlike empress from the land of Phantasién in time? The audio book is available here.
7. The Little Dragon Coconut
It’s almost that time again: This year, countless children across Germany will be starting school again – just like the little dragon Coconut. He hadn’t been as excited as he was that day in a long time. Equipped with a bulging school bag, he sets off to school with his parents. There he met his teacher, Kornelius Kaktus, and other students. The audio book is available here.
8. The NO horn
The name says it all: “The day grandpa put the kettle on the stove” is the title of this story. It’s about a sweet unicorn who says no to everything – and is therefore called a nohorn. When his grandparents visit, grandpa accidentally melts a kettle on the stove, forcing the family to spend the night in the garden. Water fights and scary stories follow. The audio book is available here.
9. In nature with Pettersson and Findus
The stories about old Pettersson and his cat Findus are legendary – in this one everything revolves around the topic of nature, i.e. animals and plants. Inquisitive children learn many important things about life in the country in this radio play. There is a lot to discover on the farm with its stable animals, not just for the listeners, but also for Pettersson and Findus. The audio book is available here.
10. The Little Ghost
Another classic concludes this little audio book presentation: the little ghost. It lives at Eulenstein Castle and causes mischief through the walls every night. Always with you: his 13 keys. But actually it would really like to experience one day, but how is that supposed to work? But one day this wish will come true, much to the shock of the Eulenberg citizens. The audio book is available here.
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