Non-fiction Audiobooks

Made in Asian America: A History for Young People

"From three-time Newbery Honoree Christina Soontornvat and award-winning historian Erika Lee comes a middle grade nonfiction that shines a light on the generations of Asian Americans who have transformed the United States and who continue to shape what it means to be American. Asian American history is not made up of one single story. It’s many. And it’s a story that too often goes untold.  It begins centuries before America even exists as a nation. It is connected to the histories of Western conquest and colonialism. It’s a story of migration; of people and families crossing the Pacific Ocean in search of escape, opportunity, and new beginnings. It is also the story of race and racism. Of being labeled an immigrant invasion, unfit to become citizens, and being banned, deported, and incarcerated. Of being blamed for bringing diseases into the country. It is also a story of bravery and hope. It is the story of heroes who fought for equality in the courts, on the streets, and in the schools, and who continue to fight in solidarity with others doing the same. This book is a stirring account of the ordinary people and extraordinary acts that made Asian America and the young people who are remaking America today. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook."

Christina Soontornvat, Erika Lee (Author), Sura Siu (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mid-Air

"Longlisted for the National Book Award A tender-souled boy reeling from the death of his best friend struggles to fit into a world that wants him to grow up tough and unfeeling in this stunning illustrated middle grade novel in verse "full of vulnerability and hope" (Booklist, starred review) from the Newbery Honor–winning author of Genesis Begins Again. It's the last few months of eighth grade, and Isaiah feels lost. He thought his summer was going to be him and his boys Drew and Darius, hanging out, doing wheelies, watching martial arts movies, and breaking tons of Guinness World Records before high school. But now, more and more, Drew seems to be fading from their friendship, and though he won't admit it, Isaiah knows exactly why. Because Darius is…gone. A hit and run killed Darius in the midst of a record-breaking long wheelie when Isaiah should have been keeping watch, ready to warn: "CAR!" Now, Drew can barely look at Isaiah. But Isaiah, already quaking with ache and guilt, can't lose two friends. So, he comes up with a plan to keep Drew and him together­­­—they can spend the summer breaking records, for Darius. But Drew's not the same Drew since Darius was killed, and Isaiah being Isaiah isn't enough for Drew anymore. Not his taste in clothes, his love for rock music, or his aversion to jumping off rooftops. And one day something unspeakable happens to Isaiah that makes him think Drew's right. If only he could be less sensitive, more tough, less weird, more cool, less him, things would be easier. But how much can Isaiah keep inside until he shatters wide open?"

Alicia D. Williams (Author), Landon Woodson (Narrator)

Audiobook

The ABCs of Queer History

"A Through-the-Alphabet Celebration of Queer History in the US, from the Publisher of the New York Times Bestseller The ABCs of Black History   In this book brimming with P for Pride, writer and poet Seema Yasmin celebrates all the joys and challenges of queer history in the United States through lively, rhyming verse. This is a book of people, of ideas, of accomplishments and events. It's a book about Allies and Ancestors, about Belonging and Being accepted, about Hope, Knowledge, and Love. About historic moments like Stonewall, and how it changed the world. And all about Trailblazers, like Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, Harvey Milk, Barbara Jordan, George Takei, Elliot Page, and Sally Ride. And ultimately, it's a book to help kids learn a different kind of ABCs-not just words like apple, ball or cat, but rather the essence of what it means to be diverse, to be equitable, to be inclusive. That no one counts unless we all count, and how we must open our eyes and ears, minds and hearts, to hear everyone's story and understand and celebrate their experience."

Seema Yasmin (Author), Indya Moore, Yalini Dream (Narrator)

Audiobook

Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine

"In this powerful novel by an award-winning author, 12-year-old Winnie Nash is forced to live with her grandma for the summer and finds herself torn between her family's secrets and the joy of celebrating Pride. Winnie Nash never used to have so many secrets. But then she agreed to stay with her grandma for the summer so her mom can take care of her health during her latest pregnancy. Now Winnie plays card games with Grandma's friends (boring), joins the senior citizen book club (fine, even if no one thinks she'll read the books), and absolutely does not talk about her mom's sad days (she never used to be so sad…). The biggest secret is that her parents asked Winnie not to mention she's gay to Grandma. And there's a really cute girl who also hangs out with the senior citizens. What happens if Grandma notices just how much Winnie likes Pippa? The longer Winnie hides the truth, the more she longs to be surrounded by her LGBTQ+ community and the more she feels like the only place she can be herself is at New York City's Pride celebration. Winnie decides she'll get to Pride, one way or another. But is this just one more secret she has to keep?"

Nicole Melleby (Author), Krysta Gonzales (Narrator)

Audiobook

Orris and Timble: The Beginning

"From beloved storyteller Kate DiCamillo comes the first book in a warm and funny early-reader trilogy about a misanthropic rat and a naive owl-and the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Orris the rat lives alone in an old barn surrounded by his treasures, until the day his solitude is disrupted by a sudden flutter of wings and a loud screech. A small owl has gotten caught in a trap in the barn. Can Orris "make the good and noble choice" (as the king on his prized sardine can might recommend) and rescue the owl, despite the fact that owls and rats are natural enemies? And if he does, will he be ready for the consequences? With humor and tenderness, two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo brings us this first of three tales celebrating unlikely friendship and the power of sharing stories and doing the right thing-a soon-to-be classic brought to life in this audiobook edition."

Kate DiCamillo (Author), Mark Bramhall (Narrator)

Audiobook

The World of David Walliams: The World’s Worst Children 1, 2 & 3

"An entire world of hilariously horrible and delightfully dreadful children! From the phenomenal number-one bestseller David Walliams, these cautionary tales are illustrated in glorious and gruesome colour by artistic genius, Tony Ross. THE WORLD’S WORST CHILDREN Are you ready to meet the World’s Worst Children? Five beastly boys and five gruesome girls! - Like Sofia Sofa – a TV super-fan so stuck to the sofa that she’s turning into one! - Or Dribbling Drew – a boy whose drool gets him into trouble on a school trip! - And not forgetting Blubbering Bertha – a girl who bawls and tells terrible tales! THE WORLD’S WORST CHILDREN 2 Ready for more? The beastly boys and gruesome girls in this book are even ruder, even more disgusting and WORSE than you could ever imagine! The gruesome characters will make you snort with laughter and thank your lucky stars that you don’t know anyone like Gruesome Griselda or Fussy Frankie in real life. It also features a special appearance from fan-favourite Raj! THE WORLD’S WORST CHILDREN 3 Just when you thought it was safe to go back to your bookshelf, 10 more horrendously hilarious stories about the absolute worst children ever! From ten-year old Hank and his endless pranks on his poor, long-suffering family, to Tandy and her titanic tantrums – this compendium of catastrophically horrid boys and girls is the perfect companion to books 1 and 2."

David Walliams (Author), Doon Mackichan, Eric Mok, James Goode, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Jon Culshaw, Morgana Robinson, Nitin Ganatra, Paul Putner, Rebecca Yeo (Narrator)

Audiobook

My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story

"A moving true story for children ages 6 to 9 about growing up in Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II-from the iconic Star Trek actor, activist, and author of the New York Times bestselling graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy. February 19, 1942. George Takei is four years old when his world changes forever. Two months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares anyone of Japanese descent an enemy of the United States. George and his family were American in every way. They had done nothing wrong. But because of their Japanese ancestry, they were removed from their home in California and forced into camps with thousands of other families who looked like theirs. Over the next three years, George had three different "homes": the Santa Anita racetrack, swampy Camp Rohwer, and infamous Tule Lake. But even though they were now living behind barbed wire fences and surrounded by armed soldiers, his mother and father did everything they could to keep the family safe. In My Lost Freedom, George Takei looks back at his own memories to help children today understand what it feels like to be treated as an enemy by your own country. This is a story of a family's courage, a young boy's resilience, and the importance of staying true to yourself in the face of injustice."

George Takei (Author), George Takei (Narrator)

Audiobook

Running in Flip-Flops From the End of the World

"A hilarious middle-grade from justin a. reynolds that asks: What happens when five unsupervised kids face the apocalypse under outrageously silly circumstances? When twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway and his friends are left home from Beach Bash, aka the greatest party of the year, only to realize that everyone in town has disappeared without a trace, they do what any smart, responsible kids would do . . . have the best day ever! No parental supervision sounds fun for a while, but forever is a long time. And soon the gang starts to notice strange things happening around town, and they're only getting stranger. They have to figure out what happened to their families. It seems like getting to the beach will answer all their questions . . . but the only problem is that some mysterious force seems determined to prevent them from making it there. Eddie knows that this is a clear sign -- obviously they should be focused on having as much fun as possible for as long as possible. But everyone deals with the fear differently, and soon the friendships begin to fracture. Can Eddie find a way to get all his friends on the same page? And will they ever make it to the beach?"

Justin A. Reynolds (Author), Nile Bullock (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class: Emma McKenna, Full Out

"Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third-grade class! Cheerleader Emma McKenna is thrilled for the first day of school… until her frenemy shows up and all of Emma's plans for a social do-over take a tumble! Emma McKenna can't wait for third grade at the brand-new Curiosity Academy. She'll have a cool teacher who wears high-tops and science earrings. She'll meet interesting classmates from all over Peppermint Falls. Best of all, she'll get a fresh start after last year's talent-show disaster left her with that awful nickname. It's going to be the best year ever! Then Lucy walks into Mrs. Z's room. Lucy, Emma's best-friend-turned-enemy. Lucy, who gave Emma that nickname and spread it all over school! Emma's fresh start is doomed . . . unless she can make friends before Lucy ruins everything. So Emma sets out to be pals with everyone, just like her favorite animal, the capybara. As her classmates argue over the choice of a new school mascot, Emma stays quiet and doesn't pick sides. (The last thing she needs is another enemy.) But maybe speaking up could be the thing that helps her really connect with her class-and saves her at last from third-grade doom. Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Emma McKenna welcomes readers into Mrs. Z's class where friendship and fun rule the school in this series-starter from New York Times bestselling author Kate Messner.   Perfect for! ★ My Weirdtastic School fans ★ Reluctant readers ★ Classroom read-alouds ★ Andrew Clements fans ★ Cheerleaders ★ Anyone who has a frenemy     Read them all! The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class have plenty of stories to share! Emma McKenna, Full out (#1) Rohan Murthy Has a Plan (#2) Poppy Song Bakes a Way (#3) The Legend of Memo Castillo (#4)  Wyatt Hill Brings a Lizard to School (#5)  Ayana Ndoum Takes the Stage (#6)  Olive Little Gets Crafty (#7) Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8) Theo Chang is Not a Cat (#9) - available for preorder now! Thunder Nelson Does the Impossumble (#10) - available for preorder now! Sebastian Metzger Solves a Sticky Situation (#11) - available for preorder now! Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat (#12) - available for preorder now!   *The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class is an innovative series where every book is written by a different all-star author and features a different kid in the same third-grade class. They can be read in any order!"

Kate Messner (Author), Caitlin Kelly (Narrator)

Audiobook

Deep Water

""Readers will feel every wave of Tully's emotions as she risks everything to try to get her mom's attention. A powerful novel in verse." —Lisa Fipps, author of Printz Honor book Starfish A middle grade novel in verse that "packs a powerful punch" (Kirkus Reviews) from acclaimed author Jamie Sumner that spans one girl's marathon swim over twelve miles and six hours, calling her mom back home with every stroke. Six hours. One marathon swim. That's all Tully Birch needs to get her life straightened out. With the help of her best friend, Arch, Tully braves the waters of Lake Tahoe to break the record for the youngest person ever to complete the famous "Godfather swim." She wants to achieve something no one in the world has done, because if she does, maybe, just maybe, her mom will come back. The swim starts off well—heart steady, body loose, Arch in charge of snacks as needed. But for Tully, all that time alone with her thoughts allows memories to surface. And in the silence of deep waters, sadness can sink you. When the swim turns dangerous, Tully fights for her survival. Does she keep going and risk her own safety and Arch's? Or does she quit to save them both, even if it means giving up hope that her mother will return?"

Jamie Sumner (Author), Caitlin Kelly (Narrator)

Audiobook

City Girls

"Readers of Lucky Broken Girl, Hurricane Child, and The House on Mango Street, will love this story of finding sanctuary with friends who understand the enormous changes life can throw you when you're 11. What Elisa, Lucia, and Alice see-and judge-of each other from the outside is drastically different from how each girl feels inside. They attend the same classes in the same New York City middle school, but no one knows that Elisa is trying to navigate the bewildering asylum process having just arrived from El Salvador; or that Lucia, who also speaks Spanish and brims with self-confidence, is caught in the middle of her parents' heartbreaking divorce; or that Alice, who appears to be a rebel in combat boots, carries the burden of her mother's progressing cancer. Narrated by each girl in alternating chapters, City Girls captures the vulnerability of being a middle schooler and the relief and joy of finding friendship where you least expect it."

Loretta Lopez (Author), Ana Osorio, Jesse Vilinsky, Victoria Villarreal (Narrator)

Audiobook

King of Nothing: The hilarious and heartwarming Waterstones and Carnegie prize-winning teen comedy!

"From the Yoto Carnegie Medal shortlisted author of Steady For This comes a hilarious and heartwarming new teen comedy! ANTON AND HIS FRIENDS ARE THE KINGS OF YEAR 9. They're used to ruling the school and Anton wears the crown. The other kids run away when he's about but that's the way he wants it - he's got a reputation to live up to after all. So when he gets into serious trouble at school, he doesn't really care, but his mum most definitely does. She decides it's time for Anton to make some new friends and join the Happy Campers, a local activity group. Anton would quite literally rather do anything else, especially when he finds out Matthew, the biggest loser in school, is also a member. But after Matthew unexpectedly saves Anton's life, Anton figures maybe this kid is worth a shot. Teaching him some game is the least Anton can do to repay the debt. As the boys strike up an unlikely friendship, Anton finds himself questioning everything he thought was important. Does he want ruling the school to be his crowning glory or should he set his sights on better things? Perfect for teen listeners of Alex Wheatle, Jason Reynolds and Patrice Lawrence."

Nathanael Lessore (Author), Michael Ajao (Narrator)

Audiobook