Health & Family Audiobooks

The Marble Queen

Freedom Jane McKenzie isn't good at following the rules. She's good at getting into trouble - and playing marbles. All she wants is to enter the marble competition at the Autumn Jubilee and show the boys in the neighborhood that she's the best player. First, Freedom has to convince her mother to let her enter. But there's a new baby on the way, Freedom's daddy is drinking too much, her little brother is a handful, and her mother is even more difficult than usual. Freedom learns that when it comes to love, friendship, and family, sometimes there are no rules. Set in 1959, The Marble Queen is a timeless story about growing up. "I wanted to stay with Freedom and her oh-so-real family forever. I wanted to keep watching her play marbles with the boys. And I wanted just one more visit with the kind but eccentric next-door neighbor. Blake has combined the fascinating world of childhood marble-playing with the ups and downs of perfectly realistic characters. A winner!" - Barbara O'Connor, author of How to Steal a Dog and Greetings from Nowhere "Rich with historical details, The Marble Queen will pull you back to 1959, but Freedom Jane McKenzie is a protagonist for all time. Whether she's knee-deep in family struggles or proving to the world she has what it takes to play marbles with the boys, Freedom's voice rings out with determination, humor, and warmth." - Nan Marino, author of Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me

Stephanie J. Blake (Author), Kelly Fogwell (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Mark of the Dragonfly

For fans of Frozen, The City of Ember, and The School of Good and Evil, The Mark of the Dragonfly is a fast-paced adventure story about a mysterious girl and a fearless boy, set in a magical world that is both exciting and dangerous. Piper has never seen the Mark of the Dragonfly until she finds the girl amid the wreckage of a caravan in the Meteor Fields. The girl doesn't remember a thing about her life, but the intricate tattoo on her arm is proof that she's from the Dragonfly Territories and that she's protected by the king. Which means a reward for Piper if she can get the girl home. The one sure way to the Territories is the 401, a great old beauty of a train. But a ticket costs more coin than Piper could make in a year. And stowing away is a difficult prospect--everyone knows that getting past the peculiar green-eyed boy who stands guard is nearly impossible. Life for Piper just turned dangerous. A little bit magical. And very exciting, if she can manage to survive the journey. Praise for The Mark of the Dragonfly: [STAR] "This magnetic middle-grade debut[is] a page-turner that defies easy categorization and ought to have broad appeal." - Publishers Weekly, Starred [STAR] "Heart, brains, and courage find a home in a steampunk fantasy worthy of a nod from Baum."-- Kirkus Reviews, Starred [STAR] "A fantastic and original tale of adventure and magic...Piper is a heroine to fall in love with: smart, brave, kind, and mechanically inclined to boot." - School Library Journal, Starred "A complex and impeccably developed plot - there is plenty to recommend in this novel." - The Bulletin "Appealing characters and lots of action make it a good choice for young adventure readers." - BooklistFrom the Hardcover edition.

Jaleigh Johnson (Author), Kim Mai Guest (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Marvellers

New York Times-bestselling author Dhonielle Clayton makes her middle-grade debut with a fantasy adventure set in a global magic school in the sky, perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, Soman Chainani, and Philip Pullman. 'The Marvellers deserves the highest compliment I can give a book: I want to live in this world.' —Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling–author 'A marvelous gift of a novel! With fantastical twists at every turn, Clayton has created a world that readers won't want to leave.” —Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose “The Marvellers is a rich, enchanted melting pot of magic, thrills, and color . . . filled with heart, wit, and humor. A tantalizing introduction to an exhilarating fantasy universe.” —Soman Chainani, New York Times-bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil series Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, a magic school in the clouds where Marvellers from around the world practice their cultural arts, like brewing Indian spice elixirs and bartering with pesky Irish pixies. Despite her excitement, Ella discovers that being the first isn’t easy—some Marvellers mistrust her magic, which they deem “bad and unnatural.” But eventually, she finds friends in elixirs teacher, Masterji Thakur, and fellow misfits Brigit, a girl who hates magic, and Jason, a boy with a fondness for magical creatures. When a dangerous criminal known as the Ace of Anarchy escapes prison, supposedly with a Conjuror’s aid, tensions grow in the Marvellian world and Ella becomes the target of suspicion. Worse, Masterji Thakur mysteriously disappears while away on a research trip. With the help of her friends and her own growing powers, Ella must find a way to clear her family’s name and track down her mentor before it’s too late. A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company.

Dhonielle Clayton (Author), Patryce Williams (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Marvellous Granny Jinks and Me

Join Jada and Granny Jinks in this charming new series for readers aged 6+! Brimming with warmth, tricks and magic,  perfect for fans of The Naughtiest Unicorn, Bad Nana and Wigglesbottom Primary! When Jada Jinks finds a box of magic tricks in her granny's flat, she uncovers her granny's SECRET dream of becoming a magician. Jada soon decides that she's going to help Granny Jinks fulfil her dreams, but one thing stands in her way - her dad, Jonny Jinks, who hates magic! Will Jada be able to help Granny Jinks pass the auditions for Dalton Green Magic Society, and will she learn some tricks of her own along the way?   Inspired by the true story of Jenny Mayers - the first Black woman to be accepted into the Magic Circle. *Includes how-to magic tricks for you to try at home!*    With themes of finding courage, making friends, managing relationships at home, school and in the community, this is a wonderful new series for readers aged 6 and up!  

Serena Holly (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Marvellous Granny Jinks and Me: Animal Magic!

Join Jada and Granny Jinks in this charming new series for readers aged 6+! Gorgeously illustrated throughout by Selom Sunu, and brimming with warmth, tricks and magic, this is the perfect read for fans of The Naughtiest Unicorn and Wigglesbottom Primary! Granny Jinks and Jada have officially joined the Dalton Green Magic Society, but the fun has only just started! For their next trick, Granny Jinks and Jada will have to perform magic with the cheekiest assistant of them all - an animal! Will naughty Luna the cat learn her magic trick in time, and will Jada's best friend, Matilda, ever find the perfect pet for hers? Inspired by the true story of Jenny Mayers - the first Black woman to be accepted into the Magic Circle. *Includes how-to magic tricks for you to try at home!*    With themes of finding courage, making friends, managing relationships at home, school and in the community, this is a wonderful new series for readers aged 6 and up!

Serena Holly (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Marvin Redpost Series Collection

Meet Marvin Redpost, the Master of Mayhem! Kidnapped at Birth?: Marvin Redpost has finally figured out why he doesn't look like anyone in his family. He's not really Marvin Redpost-he's Robert, the lost prince of Shampoon! Why Pick on Me?: Marvin is shunned by his classmates and teacher after he is unfairly fingered as a nose-picker by the class bully. Is He a Girl?: Will kissing his elbow really turn Marvin into a girl? Casey Happleton claims it's so. Alone in His Teacher's House: Marvin's friends think he's the luckiest boy in the world when his teacher asks him to dog-sit for a week. But pretty soon it starts to look as if Marvin is not so lucky after all.... Class President: It's "hole day," and even Mrs. North and Principal McCabe are wearing their very worst clothes. It seemed like a fun idea that morning, but now the president of the United States is on his way! And there's no time to change! A Flying Birthday Cake: Marvin and Stuart get to sleep over in Nick Tuffle's backyard for Nick's birthday. Marvin he hears a noise in the night, and something glowing zooms over his head. The next day, a very strange new kid shows up at school.... Super Fast, Out of Control!: The word at school is that Marvin will be taking on Suicide Hill with his new mountain bike. But the truth is, he can barely climb on the seat! A Magic Crystal?: Casey Happleton shows Marvin the magic crystal she has just found and offers to give Marvin a few wishes. Is the crystal really magic? Or is it too good to be true?

Louis Sachar (Author), Everette Plen (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Mask that Loved to Count

One day, a man buys a special mask that loves to count and brings it home to his family. This starts the mask’s journey as it learns how important it is and how, though times are hard, the kindness of people is limitless.

Luo Xi (Author), David Dixon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Matatu

Kioko has been watching the matatus come and go for as long as he can remember. On his fifth birthday, he gets the chance to climb aboard one with his grandfather. As the matatu pulls away from the market, several village dogs chase after it. Kioko wonders why the dogs always bark and chase after matatus. When he asks his grandfather about it, his grandfather tells Kioko an entertaining tale about a dog, a goat and a sheep. Set in East Africa and inspired by a Kamba folktale, The Matatu is a colorful story filled with unexpected twists and turns.

Eric Walters, Eva Campbell (Author), Iambic Productions (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Matchstick Castle

A wild and whimsical adventure story, perfect for fans of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library Brian can think of a few places he'd rather spend his summer than with his aunt and uncle in Boring, Illinois. Jail, for example. Or an earplug factory. Anything would be better than doing summer school on a computer while his scientist dad is stationed at the South Pole. Boring lives up to its name until Brian and his cousin Nora have a fight, get lost, and discover a huge, wooden house in the forest. With balconies, turrets, and windows seemingly stuck on at random, it looks ready to fall over in the next stiff breeze. To the madcap, eccentric family that lives inside, it's not just a home-it's a castle. Suddenly, summer gets a lot more exciting. With their new friends, Brian and Nora tangle with giant wasps, sharp-tusked wild boars, and a crazed bureaucrat intent on bringing the dangerously dilapidated old house down with a wrecking ball. This funny, fantastical story will resonate with any reader who's ever wished a little adventure would find them. From the Hardcover edition.

Keir Graff (Author), Michael Crouch (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Maze

For the past four years, Rick Walker has been shuffled between foster care and group homes. At 14, he's a kid nobody wants or cares about. Now he's headed for Blue Canyon Detention Center. For Rick, life is a maze full of dead ends. But when he is threatened at Blue Canyon and runs away, Rick finds himself in a real maze-the enormous rocky expanse of Canyonlands National Park in Utah. There, Rick meets a biologist who has devoted his life to reintroducing the condor to its natural habitat. As Rick joins him to protect the giant birds, the teenager will begin to see choices instead of dead ends. Will Hobbs has written many popular, award-winning books for young adults. Works such as Beardance, The Big Wander, and Downriver have won ALA Best Book Awards. The Maze is filled with riveting adventure in an unforgettable wilderness setting. Ed Sala's taut narration sets the perfect tone for Rick's journey toward confidence and trust.

Will Hobbs (Author), Ed Sala (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Mega-Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks

Brought to you by Puffin. Lottie Brooks is BACK for more extremely embarrassing adventures as she goes on holiday and gets her very first boyfriend! Daniel and Lottie finally have their first date. A trip to a fancy gelato in Brighton. But how do you eat ice-cream in front of your crush and is Lottie ready for her first kiss? I mean he's nice and all but boys are still a bit gross, right? The school holidays are looming, and with Lottie off camping to France for two weeks and Daniel spending most of the summer on a fancy Greek island it looks as if the young lovebirds will be cruelly ripped apart. But then Lottie makes friends with a French boy called Antoine - the language is an obvious barrier but does it matter when he's THAT good looking? © Katie Kirby 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Katie Kirby (Author), Charlie Sanderson (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Memory of Light

School: failure. Romance: failure. Family: failure. Suicide: failure. This brave and moving novel by the author of Marcelo in the Real World is about the one thing left: living. When Vicky Cruz wakes up in the Lakeview Hospital Mental Disorders ward, she knows one thing: she can't even commit suicide right. But for once, a mistake works out well for her, as she meets Mona, the live wire; Gabriel, the saint; E.M., always angry; and Dr. Desai, a quiet force. With stories and honesty, kindness and hard work, they push her to reconsider her life before Lakeview, and offer her an acceptance she's never had. But Vicky's newfound peace is as fragile as the roses that grow around the hospital. And when a crisis forces the group to split up, sending her back to the life that drove her to suicide, Vicky must try to find the strength to carry on. She may not have it. She doesn't know. Inspired in part by the author's own experience with depression, The Memory of Light is the rare young adult novel that focuses not on the events leading up to a suicide attempt, but the recovery from one--about living when life doesn't seem worth it, and how we go on anyway.

Francisco X. Stork (Author), Frankie Corzo (Narrator)

Audiobook