Reading books with your child is an incredibly powerful way of supporting your child’s learning. We’ve put together a list of stories that are available as audiobooks (one for each day of the week) that we think make for great listening. The lists are divided into stories appropriate for 3-5 year olds and stories more appropriate for children aged 6+.
We’ve also created some guidance for parents about reading together at home with young children.
For preschoolers (3-5 years)
Monday: Listen to Al Gore read Brave Irene by William Steig (14 mins) at https://www.storylineonline.net/books/brave-irene/
Tuesday: Listen to Danica McKellar (author) read Ten Magic Butterflies (5 mins) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBi_RoXKVo0
Wednesday: Listen to Christina Coch (an astronaut) read Hey-Ho to Mars We’ll Go by Susan Lendron (9 mins) from the International Space Station at https://storytimefromspace.com/hey-ho-to-mars-2/
Thursday: Listen to Hone Hurihanganui read How Māui Fished Up the North Island as retold by Donovan Bixley (8 mins) at https://storytime.rnz.co.nz/book/how-maui-fished-up-the-north-island/
Friday: Listen to Vanessa Marano & Katie Leclerc read Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes (10 mins) at https://www.storylineonline.net/books/chesters-way/
For older children (6 years +)
Monday: Listen to Dorothy McKegg read Hong Kong Pencil by Judith Holloway (14 mins) https://storytime.rnz.co.nz/book/hong-kong-pencil
Tuesday: Listen to Jacob Stein & Jason Rabinowitz (authors) read Jukebox Joyride (9 chapters, eac 15-30 min, 3.5 hours total) at https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B07QL3CQ39?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-14
Wednesday: Listen to Phoebe Hurst read Iris’s Ukulele by Kathy Taylor (6 parts, each around 12 mins) at https://storytime.rnz.co.nz/book/iriss-ukulele
Thursday: Listen to Oliver Jeffers (author) read It Wasn’t Me and learn how to draw “Hueys” (30 mins) at https://youtu.be/6XLYISzkI8g
Friday: Listen to Melissa Gilbert read My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco (10 mins) at https://www.storylineonline.net/books/my-rotten-redheaded-older-brother/
By Dr Vicki Hargraves