Historical Audiobooks

Barack

Acclaimed poet and award-winning children's author Jonah Winter-inspired by a political rally he attended during the historic 2008 presidential campaign-tells the moving story of Barack Obama. Beginning in Africa and Kansas, this enlightening biography describes Obama's life as an ongoing journey, from his birth in Hawaii to his election as president. Obama emerges as someone who, even from an early age, wondered where he belonged and who he might become.

Jonah Winter (Author), Ezra Knight (Narrator)

Audiobook

Barack Obama

Ever since Barack Obama was young, Hope has lived inside him. From the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Chicago, from the jungles of Indonesia to the plains of Kenya, he has held on to Hope. Even as a boy, Barack knew he wasn't quite like anybody else, but through his journeys he found the ability to listen to Hope and become what he was meant to be: a bridge to bring people together. This is the moving story of an exceptional man, as told by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Bryan Collier, both winners of the Coretta Scott King Award. Barack Obama has motivated Americans to believe with him, to believe that every one of us has the power to change ourselves and change our world.

Nikki Grimes (Author), Nikki Grimes (Narrator)

Audiobook

Barack Obama

Barack Obama is known by many as the first Black president of the United States. But readers might not know that President Obama likes to collect comic books and play basketball! In this title, young readers are introduced to Barack Obama’s life and presidency through leveled text and high-quality images. Special features include a map, a timeline, and a thought-provoking question.

Rebecca Pettiford (Author), Dana Fleming (Narrator)

Audiobook

Barack Obama: The First African American President: Voices Leveled Library Readers

In 1926, Trudy Ederle became the first woman and the fastest person to swim the English Channel.

Maya Cady (Author), Highlights For Children (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bat 6

Bat 6-that's the softball game played every year between the sixth-grade girls of Barlow and Bear Creek Ridge. All the girls-Beautiful Hair Hallie, Manzanita who gets the spirit, the twins Lola and Lila, Tootie, Shadean-they've been waiting for their turn at Bat 6 since they could first toss a ball. This time there's a newcomer on each team: Aki, at first base for the Ridgers, who just returned with her family from a place she's too embarrassed to talk about. And Shazam, center field for Barlow, who's been shunted around by her mother since her father was killed on December 7, 1941. The adukts of the two towns would rather not speak about why Aki's family had to "go away." They can't quite admit just how "different" Shazam is. And that is why the two girls are on a collision course that explodes catastrophically on the morning Bat 6, the day they've been preparing for all their lives.

Virginia Euwer Wolff (Author), Various Readers (Narrator)

Audiobook

Battles of the Civil War

More men lost their lives during the battles of the Civil War than in any other war involving the United States. No one suspected that it would last four long years. At the beginning of the war, the battles were fought in southern territory. Each conflict brought more death and despair. In the end, the South surrendered, but everyone actually lost. Together, everyone faced the tremendous challenge of forgiving each other and rebuilding the nation.

Wendy Conklin (Author), Teacher Created Materials (Narrator)

Audiobook

Beastly Bones

In the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed Jackaby, Abigail Rook and Sherlockian detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby are back and on the trail of a thief, a monster, and a murderer. "I've found very little about private detective R. F. Jackaby to be standard in the time I've known him. Working as his assistant tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality." In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called upon to investigate the supernatural. First, a vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens, and a day later, their owner is found murdered with a single mysterious puncture wound. Then in nearby Gad's Valley, now home to the exiled New Fiddleham police detective Charlie Cane, dinosaur bones from a recent dig mysteriously go missing, and an unidentifiable beast starts attacking animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Charlie calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer. Praise for Jackaby: "Ritter's debut skillfully blends science with the supernatual and balances whimsy with violence." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Toss together an alternate 19th-century New England city, a strong tradition of Sherlockian pastiche, and one seriously ugly hat, and this lighthearted and assured debut emerges, all action and quirk." -Publishers Weekly, starred review "A riveting mash-up of mystery and folklore, with vivid details and striking turns of phrase. And Jackaby is an irresistible character." -The Horn Book Magazine

William Ritter (Author), Nicola Barber (Narrator)

Audiobook

Beautiful Blue World

Beautiful Blue World is a thrilling and moving story of children who become the key to winning a war. Sofarende is at war. For twelve-year-old Mathilde, it means food shortages, feuding neighbors, and bombings. Even so, as long as she and her best friend, Megs, are together, they 'll be all right. But the army is recruiting children, and paying families well for their service. If Megs takes the test, Mathilde knows she will pass. Megs hopes the army is the way to save her family. Mathilde fears it might separate them forever. This touching and suspenseful novel is a brilliant reimagining of war, where even kindness can be a weapon, and children have the power to see what adults cannot. Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, Outstanding Merit ILA-CBC Choices Reading Lists, Teacher 's Choice Junior Library Guild Selection Selected for the Kansas NEA Reading Circle Catalog Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List

Suzanne LaFleur (Author), Christy Carlson Romano (Narrator)

Audiobook

Beautiful Days: A Bright Young Things Novel

For the bright young things of 1929, the beautiful days seem endless, filled with romance and heartbreak, adventure and intrigue, friendship and rivalry. After a month in New York, Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur are small-town girls no longer. They spend their afternoons with Astrid Donal at the Greys' lush Long Island estate and their nights in Manhattan's bustling metropolis. But Letty's not content to be a mere socialite. She is ready at last to chase her Broadway dreams'no matter the cost. Cordelia is still reeling from the death of her father at the hands of Thom Hale, the man she thought she loved. Now she is set to honor Darius Grey's legacy . . . and take her revenge. Promised to Cordelia's half brother, Astrid is caught up in a world of dazzling jewels and glittering nights'and the sparkle is blinding. Charlie Grey is a gangster playing a dangerous game; and for Astrid, Cordelia, and Letty, the stakes could be deadly. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes the second book in an epic series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

Anna Godbersen (Author), Caitlin Davies (Narrator)

Audiobook

Because Claudette

From NYT bestselling author Tracey Baptiste comes a singular picture book, adapted for audio, that is both a biography about Claudette Colvin, the teen whose activism launched the Montgomery bus boycott, and a celebration of collective action. When fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin boarded a segregated bus on March 2, 1955, she had no idea she was about to make history. At school she was learning about abolitionists like Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth, which helped inspire her decision to refuse to give up her seat to a white woman, which led to her arrest, which began a crucial chain of events: Rosa Park's sit-in nine months later, the organization of the Montgomery bus boycott by activists like Professor Jo Ann Robinson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Supreme Court decision that Alabama's bus segregation was unconstitutional-a major triumph for the civil rights movement. Because of Claudette's brave stand against injustice, history was transformed. Now it's time for young readers to learn about this living legend, her pivotal role in the civil rights movement, and the power of one person reaching out to another in the fight for change.

Tracey Baptiste (Author), Joniece Abbott-Pratt (Narrator)

Audiobook

Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court

The first memoir for young readers by sports legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. At one time, Lew Alcindor was just another kid from New York City with all the usual problems: He struggled with fitting in, with pleasing a strict father, and with overcoming shyness that made him feel socially awkward. But with a talent for basketball, and an unmatched team of supporters, Lew Alcindor was able to transform and to become Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. From a childhood made difficult by racism and prejudice to a record-smashing career on the basketball court as an adult, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's life was packed with "coaches" who taught him right from wrong and led him on the path to greatness. His parents, coaches Jack Donahue and John Wooden, Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee, and many others played important roles in Abdul-Jabbar's life and sparked him to become an activist for social change and advancement. The inspiration from those around him, and his drive to find his own path in life, are highlighted in this personal and awe-inspiriting journey. Written especially for young readers, Becoming Kareem chronicles how Kareem Abdul-Jabbar become the icon and legend he is today, both on and off the court. **Contact Customer Service for Additional Material**

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Raymond Obstfeld (Author), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Raymond Obstfeld (Narrator)

Audiobook

Beetle Bunker

Middle-school students ages 8-12 can experience a story of action and adventure in Beetle Bunker, book 2 in the Wall Trilogy series which presents historically accurate fiction that brings the past to life in a kid-friendly way. In 1961 East Berlin, Sabine discovers a forgotten underground bunker that could possibly take her family under the wall to West Berlin and freedom … if they can find a way to get her across. Beetle Bunker is perfect for: - kids interested in stories about spies, mysteries, adventure, and friendship - providing a fun and interesting series that helps students ages 8-12 understand history in a real and understandable way - homeschool or school libraries - back to school, birthdays, and holiday gifts In Beetle Bunker, Sabine lives in 1960s East Berlin, where neighbors spy on each other, books are forbidden, and people sometimes disappear in the middle of the night … to the west side of the Berlin Wall. When Sabine discovers a forgotten underground bunker, she first uses it to escape her crowded home and comments on her physical disability, then thinks of a new use for the bunker. Could it take her family under the wall to freedom? If you enjoyed Beetle Bunker, be sure to check out the other books in the Wall Trilogy for the entire story: Candy Bombers and Smuggler's Treasure

Robert Elmer (Author), Mckenzie Fetters (Narrator)

Audiobook