Health & Family Audiobooks | LoveReading4Kids

When Friendship Followed Me Home Audiobook

A boy's chance encounter with a scruffy dog leads to an unforgettable friendship in this deeply moving story about life, loss, and the meaning of family Ben Coffin has never felt like he fits in. A former foster kid, he keeps his head down at school to avoid bullies and spends his afternoons reading sci-fi books at the library. But that all changes when he finds a scruffy abandoned dog named Flip and befriends the librarian's daughter, Halley. For the first time, Ben starts to feel like he belongs in his own life. Then, everything changes, and suddenly, Ben is more alone than ever. But with a little help from Halley's magician father, Ben discovers his place in the world and learns to see his own magic through others' eyes. Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, this audiobook is a must-listen for dog lovers and fans of emotionally resonant middle grade novels like One for the Murphys and Okay for Now. "Full of pace and laughter, bruises and heart. Paul Griffin is the sort of writer you're torn between telling the whole world about and keeping all to yourself."-Markus Zusak, author of Printz Honor Winner The Book Thief "'Friendship' is an absolutely beautiful, heart-expanding book. I cried, but more than that I felt this giant balloon of love for everyone. This story convinced me all over again that love and imagination are life's biggest magic. It'll make you want to grab hold of everyone important to you and lick them on the nose." -Rebecca Stead, author of Newbery Award winner When You Reach Me "Some books change the way you see the world. Some change the way you breathe. This book will leave you breathless.This is Paul Griffin's best book yet-and that's really saying something." -Patricia McCormick, author of National Book Award Finalist Sold

Paul Griffin (Author), Paul Griffin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Walking with Miss Millie

“A memorable and lovely debut.”--Kirkus Reviews “Walking with Miss Millie is full of subtle wisdom. Its ending is satisfying though sobering and there are elements of this story that stay with you long after the last page has been read.”--Karen English, Coretta Scott King Honor Award Author A poignant middle grade debut about the friendship between a white girl and an elderly black woman in the 1960s South Alice is angry at having to move to Rainbow, Georgia—a too small, too hot, dried-up place she’s sure will never feel like home. Then she gets put in charge of walking her elderly neighbor’s dog. But Clarence won’t budge without Miss Millie, so Alice and Miss Millie walk him together. Strolling with Clarence and Miss Millie quickly becomes the highlight of Alice's day and opens her eyes to all sorts of new things to marvel over. During their walks, they meet a mix of people, and Alice sees that although there are some bullies and phonies, there are plenty of kind folks, too. Miss Millie shares her family’s story with Alice, showing her the painful impact segregation has had on their town. And with Miss Millie, Alice is finally able to express her own heartache over why her family had to move there in the first place. Tamara Bundy’s beautifully written debut celebrates the wonder and power of friendship: how it can be found when we least expect it and make any place a home.

Tamara Bundy (Author), Catherine Taber (Narrator)

Audiobook

Jack Plank Tells Tales

Natalie Babbitt (Author), John H. Mayer, Unknown (Narrator)

Audiobook

Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It

Ten-year-old Tae Kwon Do blue belt and budding rock hound Brendan Buckley keeps a "Confidential" notebook for his top-secret scientific discoveries. And he's found something totally top secret. The grandpa he's never met, who his mom refuses to talk about or see, is an expert mineral collector and lives nearby! Secretly, Brendan visits Ed DeBose, whose skin is pink, not brown like Brendan's, his dad's, or that of Grampa Clem's, who recently died. Brendan sets out to find the reason behind Ed's absence, but what he discovers can't be explained by science, and now he wishes he'd never found him at all. . . .

Sundee T. Frazier (Author), Mirron Willis (Narrator)

Audiobook

Beacon Street Girls Special Adventure: Isabel's Texas Two-Step

Isabel's sister Elena Maria is turning fifteen, and the Martinez family is planning her quinceañera-at Uncle Hector's ranch in San Antonio! ¡Hóla! Everything about San Antonio is awesome (except for my annoying cousin Ricardo)! The Southwestern art is giving me all sorts of ideas for new drawings. But Elena has turned Quincezilla-you'd think no one has ever turned fifteen before-and it's like I'm invinsible. It's a good thing there's so much to see and do around here. And you won't believe what I discovered when my cousin and I got stranded in a cave during a thunder and lightning storm! Un beso, Isabel

Annie Bryant (Author), Roxanne Hernandez (Narrator)

Audiobook

Keeper

To ten-year-old Keeper, this moon is her chance to fix all that has gone wrong...and so much has gone wrong. But she knows who can make things right again: Meggie Marie, her mermaid mother who swam away when Keeper was just three. A blue moon calls the mermaids to gather at the sandbar, and that's exactly where she is headed -- in a small boat, in the middle of the night, with only her dog, BD (Best Dog), and a seagull named Captain. When the riptide pulls at the boat, tugging her away from the shore and deep into the rough waters of the Gulf of Mexico, panic sets in, and the fairy tales that lured her out there go tumbling into the waves. Maybe the blue moon isn't magic and maybe the sandbar won't sparkle with mermaids and maybe -- Oh, no..."Maybe" is just too difficult to bear. Kathi Appelt follows up to her New York Times bestseller, The Underneath, with a tale that will pull right at your very core -- stronger than moon currents -- capturing the crash and echo of the waves and the dark magic of the ocean.

Kathi Appelt (Author), Kathi Appelt (Narrator)

Audiobook

Artemis Begins: A Story from Guys Read: Funny Business

It's here: Volume One of the official Guys Read Library. Jon Scieszka's Guys Read initiative was founded on a simple premise: that young guys enjoy reading most when they have reading they can enjoy. And out of this comes a series that aims to give them just that. Ten books, arranged by theme, featuring the best of the best where writing for kids is concerned. Each book is a collection of original short stories, but these aren't your typical anthologies-each book is edgy, inventive, visual, and one-of-a-kind, featuring a different theme for guys to get excited about. Funny Business is based around the theme of-what else-humor, and if you're familiar with Jon and Guys Read, you already know what you're in store for: ten hilarious stories from some of the funniest writers around. Before you're through, you'll meet a teenage mummy; a kid desperate to take a dip in the world's largest pool of chocolate milk; a homicidal turkey; parents who hand over their son's room to a biker; the only kid in his middle school who hasn't turned into a vampire, wizard, or superhero; and more. And the contributor list includes bestselling author, award winners, and fresh new talent alike: Mac Barnett, Eoin Colfer, Christopher Paul Curtis, Kate DiCamillo (writing with Jon Scieszka), Paul Feig, Jack Gantos, Jeff Kinney, David Lubar, Adam Rex, and David Yoo. Guys Read is all about turning young readers into lifelong ones-and with this book, and each subsequent installment in the series, we aim to leave no guy unturned.

Eoin Colfer (Author), John Keating (Narrator)

Audiobook

"What? You Think You Got It Rough?": A Story from Guys Read: Funny Business

Christopher Paul Curtis (Author), Michael Boatman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Matilda Bone

Orphaned Matilda is not at all pleased when she arrives at Blood and Bone Alley to become an assistant to Red Peg the Bonesetter. She is a religious, well-educated girl who can't picture herself doing dirty chores or helping sickly patients. Each day is very different from her former quiet life. Matilda's not used to being around so many people who are coming and going, laughing and eating. Not one of them seems interested in prayer or study. Self-centered Matilda thinks no one understands her. But Peg does, and gives her time to get used to this new way of life and teaches her through kindness and friendship. Matilda is as surprised as anyone when she begins seeing the world around her in a different way.

Karen Cushman (Author), Janet McTeer (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Other Half of My Heart

The close relationship of a pair of biracial twins is tested when their grandmother enters them in a pageant for African American girls in this new story from Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award winner Sundee T. Frazier. When Minerva and Keira King were born, they made headlines: Keira is black like Mama, but Minni is white like Daddy. Together the family might look like part of a chessboard row, but they are first and foremost the close-knit Kings. Then Grandmother Johnson calls, to invite the twins down South to compete for the title of Miss Black Pearl Preteen of America. Minni dreads the spotlight, but Keira assures her that together they'll get through their stay with Grandmother Johnson. But when grandmother's bias against Keira reveals itself, Keira pulls away from her twin. Minni has always believed that no matter how different she and Keira are, they share a deep bond of the heart. Now she'll find out the truth.

Sundee T. Frazier (Author), Bahni Turpin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Fancy Nancy: Splendid Speller

Nancy loves spelling. She can spell fun words like "happy" and French words like chien (that means "dog") and even long words like "splendid." But when Ms. Glass's spelling test is harder than Nancy anticipated, the self-professed spelling prodigy faces a tough decision that pits her pride against her principles. Young readers will relate to Nancy's test-taking dilemma in this new addition to the Fancy Nancy I Can Read series.

Jane O'Connor, Jane O'connor, Robin Preiss Glasser (Author), Chloe Hennessee (Narrator)

Audiobook

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects, and Other Man-made Cat

Here's the third hilarious chapter book in the series about Alvin Ho, a boy who's afraid of everything. For example, what could possibly be so scary about a birthday party? Let Alvin explain: You might be dressed for bowling . . . but everyone else is dressed for swimming. You could get mistaken for the piñata. You could eat too much cake. You could throw up. So when Alvin receives an invitation to a party-a girl's party-how will he ever survive? Lenore Look's touching, drop-dead-funny book about an Asian American second grader-with pictures by New York Times bestselling illustrator LeUyen Pham-has tons of boy appeal and is great for reluctant readers. The previous books in the series, Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things and Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters, have received rave reviews. "Alvin's a winner," declares the New York Post, and Newsday says, "The novel . . . shares with Diary of a Wimpy Kid the humor that stems from the hero's Herculean efforts to manipulate the world around him in his favor, without all the facts at his disposal." Perfect for beginning and reluctant readers alike, Alvin Ho perfectly captures the trials and tribulations of boyhood.

Lenore Look (Author), Everette Plen (Narrator)

Audiobook