National Literacy
Trust picks

10 festive listens for the whole family
Discovering listens the whole family can enjoy can be tricky, so who better to share their top picks than our friends and audio advocates the National Literacy Trust. Working with schools and families, the team know a thing or two about what makes the best listen, from immersive soundscapes to enticing narration.

Get ready for the festive season this year, with picks suitable for the whole family to enjoy. Explore the National Literacy Trust's favourite festive picks, from Matt Haig's A Boy Called Christmas, narrated by the Stephen Fry, to The Truth About Mrs Claus, from Meena Harris, there's something for all age groups to enjoy.
Product list
  • The Snow Queen cover art

    • The Snow Queen

    • By: Hans Christian Andersen
    • Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
    • Length: 1 hr and 20 mins
    • Release date: 26-06-14
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 33 ratings
    • The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen
    • 'A fairy tale classic, and a wonderful listen for all the family. Follow Gerda on her perilous journey to rescue her best friend Kai from the icy clutches of the Snow Queen.'

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  • The Penguin Who Wanted to Find Out cover art

    • The Penguin Who Wanted to Find Out

    • By: Jill Tomlinson
    • Narrated by: Maureen Lipman
    • Length: 50 mins
    • Release date: 16-10-06
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 95 ratings
    • The Penguin Who Wanted to Find Out by Jill Tomlinson
    • 'From the beloved author of The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, we recommend this equally endearing tale of a curious penguin on a mission to find out more about the wintry Antarctic world around him.'

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  • Hanukkah Bear cover art

    • Hanukkah Bear

    • By: Eric Kimmel
    • Narrated by: Laural Merlington
    • Length: 12 mins
    • Release date: 24-10-16
    • Language: English
    • Not rated yet
    • Hanukkah Bear by Eric Kimmel
    • 'We adore this warm-hearted story of when a bear arrives at Bubba Brayna's door looking for something to eat, and mistakes him for her rabbi! Luckily, she has made plenty of tasty Hanukkah food for them both to enjoy'

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  • Diary of a Christmas Elf cover art

    • Diary of a Christmas Elf

    • Christmas magic delivered with the top-ten bestseller!
    • By: Ben Miller
    • Narrated by: Ben Miller
    • Series: Christmas Elf, Book 1
    • Length: 1 hr and 33 mins
    • Release date: 11-11-21
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 36 ratings
    • Diary of a Christmas Elf by Ben Miller
    • 'Making a new toy for his sibling leads Tog to a dream job in Santa's workshop. But can he save Christmas Eve? We loved this wonderfully funny narration with moments of great warmth and adventure.'

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  • A Boy Called Christmas cover art

    • A Boy Called Christmas

    • By: Matt Haig
    • Narrated by: Stephen Fry
    • Series: A Boy Called Christmas, Book 1
    • Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins
    • Release date: 03-11-16
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,735 ratings
    • A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig
    • 'This hilarious tale of Nikolas, a boy from Finland who travels to Elfhelm to find his father, and discovers love, hope and magic on his way. This will have listeners laughing out loud with a great exploration of the themes of Christmas.'

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  • Ladybird Stories for Diwali cover art

    • Ladybird Stories for Diwali

    • By: Ladybird
    • Narrated by: Rachel Petladwala
    • Series: Ladybird Audio Adventures
    • Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
    • Release date: 28-09-23
    • Language: English
    • Not rated yet
    • Stories for Diwali by Ladybird
    • 'This collection of fun, short fiction stories teaches children about the different ways Diwali can be celebrated, whilst keeping friendship at the heart of the celebrations. Follow the narration to learn some fabulous new festive words too!'

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  • The Dark Is Rising cover art

    • The Dark Is Rising

    • Book 2 of The Dark Is Rising Sequence
    • By: Susan Cooper
    • Narrated by: Alex Jennings
    • Series: The Dark is Rising, Book 2
    • Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
    • Release date: 17-10-03
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 360 ratings
    • The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
    • 'This story starts on midwinter day and is best listened to in real time. It's a classic tale of good versus evil, with great characters and brilliant descriptions. Gripping and scary in places, but good triumphs in the end.'

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  • The Very Merry Murder Club cover art

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  • The Wolves of Willoughby Chase cover art

    • The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

    • By: Joan Aiken
    • Narrated by: Lizza Aiken
    • Series: Wolves Chronicles Series, Book 1
    • Length: 4 hrs and 48 mins
    • Release date: 09-10-12
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 67 ratings
    • The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
    • 'This tale of cousins Sylvia and Bonnie's adventures makes us want to curl up by a roaring fire with a cup of hot chocolate, listening to the howling wind, snow, and wolves outside...'

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  • The Truth About Mrs. Claus cover art

    • The Truth About Mrs. Claus

    • By: Meena Harris
    • Narrated by: Meena Harris
    • Length: 10 mins
    • Release date: 18-10-22
    • Language: English
    • Not rated yet
    • The Truth About Mrs. Claus by Meena Harris
    • 'What does Mrs Claus do at Christmas? Do we even know her first name? A fun and empowering tale about a fourth-generation teddy bear maker and a wise woman with a story to tell.'

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