Talking books Fiction for younger readers
Updated: May 2013
Age range: 9 and older
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Fiction for younger readers
Aiken, Joan
The haunting of Lamb House. 1991. Read by John Rye, 6 hours 23 minutes. TB 9197.
Lamb House is a supposedly haunted building in Mermaid Street, Rye, Sussex. This novel considers what events might have conspired to bring about its haunting.
Aiken, Joan
Go saddle the sea. 1978. Read by George Hagan, 10 hours 12 minutes. TB 3296.
The Felix trilogy; book 1. Tired of living in Spain with his grandfather and unfriendly great-aunt, Felix gets on his mule one day and sets out to find a place which he thinks is called Bath.
Aiken, Joan
Bridle the wind. 1983. Read by Antony Higginson, 9 hours. TB 5222.
The Felix trilogy; book 2. Bound for his Spanish grandfather's house in San Sebastian, Felix Brooke is shipwrecked in the Bay of Biscay. He is given shelter by the monks of an island monastery. However, it is not a haven of peace and holiness, but a sinister place run by a terrifying Abbot.
Aiken, Joan
The teeth of the gale. 1997. Read by William Gregory, 8 hours 56 minutes. TB 13582.
The Felix trilogy; book 3. The final part of an adventure trilogy set in early-19th-century Spain. Now a dashing 18-year-old law student, Felix Brooke receives an urgent message from his grandfather. He races home to Villaverde, where he's been chosen to lead a dangerous mission, accompanied by his childhood sweetheart.
Aiken, Joan
Midnight is a place. 1974. Read by Andrew Timothy, 9 hours 15 minutes. TB 2622.
Midnight Court is burned down, and orphaned 13-year-old Lucas and his small cousin must struggle to provide for themselves in and around the mill.
Aiken, Joan
The kingdom under the sea and other stories. 1971. Read by Bruce Montague, 2 hours 15 minutes. TB 6250.
Eleven East European folk tales which bring to life a world of goblins, knights, angels, dragons and beautiful princesses.
Aiken, Joan
The last slice of rainbow : and other stories. 1985. Read by Di Langford, 2 hours 50 minutes. TB 6612.
Stories of magic and mystery. In one tale a thoughtless boy who is very good at tennis is deserted by his legs; in another a princess who uses her unusual power to move things with her mind for cruel amusement gets more than she bargains for. The title story is about a boy who was born in a windmill just at the moment when the wind changed from south to west, so he could see the wind and was able to remind the wind of the tune he had forgotten; the boy was given a rainbow as a reward.
Aiken, Joan
Up the chimney down : and other stories. 1984. Read by Rosemary Davis, 8 hours 41 minutes. TB 5537.
Mrs McMurk lived in the middle of New York in a room without doors or windows so, of course, the only way in or out of it was "up the chimney down." She dressed entirely in newspapers except for an umbrella which was a useful collecting tool as well as transport. When she had eaten her last servant she went to the supermarket ... and things really began to happen.
Aiken, Joy Smith
Solo's journey. 1988. Read by Gene Foad, 11 hours 4 minutes. TB 7989.
Absorbing and heart-warming, this story tells of the life and adventures of Solo who, orphaned as a kitten, has a tremendous fight to survive within the community of feral cats to which he belongs. Destruction threatens the group and Solo realises he must find a new home for them all, and so the great trek starts.
Allan, Mabel Esther
Alone at Pine Street. 1983. Read by Anne White, 2 hours 45 minutes. TB 4854.
A story about children in an urban, multi-racial school. The Almond House Gang have all gone on to the local comprehensive; only Samantha, three years younger, must go on "alone at Pine Street".
Anderson, R J
Knife. 2009. Read by Emma Parish, 7 hours 16 minutes. TB 17994.
Once upon a time, a fairy is born. She lives in an old oak tree at the bottom of a garden with the rest of the fairy folk. Never has she known a time when life hasn't been hard, with many dangers and much adversity. But when she becomes the Hunter of the group and learns to do battle in the outside world, she comes into contact with the dreaded humans and her adventures really take off.
Anderson, R J
Rebel. 2010. Read by Saskia Butler, 6 hours 35 minutes. TB 19180.
Linden's cage glowed with fiery heat, burning her fingers when she tried to cling to the bars. She fluttered helplessly in midair, wing muscles aching with the effort, knowing that she couldn't hover much longer before her strength gave out - and that the moment it did, she would die.
Apps, Roy
The Fang Gang: my vampire grandad. 2008. Read by Richard Burnip, 1 hour 51 minutes. TB 16604.
The Fang Gang series; book 1. Life for Jonathan Leech is on the verge of taking a toe-curling turn for the worse. Or is it? He's about to discover his family's darkest secret. Grandad! But that's not all. Jonathan makes some unusual new friends who are going to teach him a few bloodcurdling things about himself, too. Meet Jonathan and the grisly neighbours of Goolish in the first of a brand new series of stories about the Fang Gang.
Babbitt, Natalie
The search for delicious. 1969. Read by David Strong, 3 hours 15 minutes. TB 2774.
The Prime Minister is at work on his dictionary, and all goes well until he comes to 'delicious'. No one can agree about it, and Gaylen is sent out on his horse to collect the votes of the kingdom.
Baldry, Cherith
The drowned sword. 2007. Read by Glen McCready, 4 hours 10 minutes. TB 16052.
Hereward discovers a buried sword and realizes it has extraordinary power, but what he doesn't realize is that this sword is Excalibur and that his life is now in grave danger. There are traitors all around - people who want Excalibur so they can claim the throne of England. Ursus and Gwyneth must make Hereward see that the treasured sword has to be returned to its burial place - until the time is right for it to be found again.
Banks, Lynne Reid
The fairy rebel. 2011. Read by Lynne Reid Banks, 2 hours 33 minutes. TB 18612.
Jan is moping in the garden when Tiki the fairy is accidently 'earthed' and can be seen by humans. Jan wants a special magic favour but Tiki risks the fury of the fairy Queen.
Barlow, Steve
Vernon Bright and the magnetic banana. 2002. Read by Nigel Lambert, 2 hours 42 minutes. TB 13570.
Vernon Bright series; book 1. Vernon Bright is mad about science and can't resist meddling in it. When experimenting with magnetism he manages to turn himself into a magnet and it is up to his long-suffering friend, John Watts, to rescue him from the results.
Barlow, Steve
Vernon Bright and Frankenstein's hamster. 2008. Read by Nigel Lambert, 2 hours 48 minutes. TB 17962.
Vernon Bright series; book 2. When John finds Victor Frankenstein's notebook, he lends it to Vernon, his friend. When John takes the school hamster home, an accident leaves it lifeless. John realises too late that Vernon plans to bring it back to life by using Frankenstein's methods.
Barrie, J M
Peter Pan. 1971. Read by David Dunhill, 5 hours 45 minutes. TB 2380.
The story of the boy who did not want to grow up, and his adventures in the Never Never Land with Captain Hook, the Red Indian Princess Tiger Lily, and his fairy friend Tinker Bell.
Barrowman, John
Hollow earth. 2012. Read by John Barrowman, 7 hours 48 minutes. TB 19602.
Lots of twins have a special connection - being able to finish each other's sentences; sensing what the other is thinking; perhaps even knowing when the other is in trouble or in pain - but for 12-year-old twins, Matt and Emily Calder, the connection is beyond special.
Bawden, Nina
The witch's daughter. 2008. Read by Stephanie Beattie, 5 hours 32 minutes. TB 18361.
On the Scottish island of Skua, friendship develops between the lonely and mysterious Perdita and a blind girl, Janey. Both possess a kind of second sight - Janey's is the ability to hear, feel and remember more than others, and Perdita's is the ominous legacy of her being a witch's daughter. When Janey's brother, Tom, starts investigating a cluster of mysterious events and suspicious characters, all three become entwined in an adventure of hidden jewels, desperate criminals and dangerous detection.
Beck, Ian
The secret history of Tom Trueheart. 2007. Read by Clive Mantle, 5 hours 42 minutes. TB 17222.
Tom Trueheart series; book 1. Tom Trueheart wants to be an adventurer like his six older brothers. They're all employed by the Story Bureau. Each story is started off by the Story Bureau and it's up to the adventurer to make of the story what he will. But this time something's gone wrong - none of the stories are being finished and none of the Trueheart brothers have returned home. Now Tom must set off to the Land of Stories, find out what has happened to his brothers and bring them back.
Beck, Ian
Tom Trueheart and the land of dark stories. 2009. Read by Clive Mantle, 8 hours 9 minutes. TB 17953.
Tom Trueheart series; book 2. The Trueheart house is busy and bustling-because today is a special day. Tom's older brothers are getting married and preparing to live happily ever after. But then an unexpected wedding guest arrives. Someone who has decided that there will be no more Happy Endings. Tom's brothers and their brides are whisked off to the Land of Dark Stories, as prisoners of their old enemy Brother Ormestone. And Tom himself is put under a terrible enchantment.
Bell, Mary Hayley
Whistle down the wind. 1997. Read by Charlotte Worthing, 3 hours 59 minutes. TB 18916.
A classic novel about a group of siblings who find a man in a barn who they believe is Jesus, and they keep the secret to themselves until the adults find out and suspect the man is a recently escaped convict.
Bidmead, Christopher H
Doctor Who, Frontios. 1985. Read by Beth Chalmers, 4 hours 33 minutes. TB 16967.
The Tardis has drifted far into the future and comes to rest hovering over Frontios, refuge of one group of survivors from Earth who have escaped the disintegration of their home planet. The Tardis is forced down by what appears to be a meteorite storm, and crash-lands, leaving the Doctor and his companions marooned on the hope-forsaken planet.
Billington, Rachel
There's more to life. 2007. Read by Sara Markland, 5 hours 37 minutes. TB 15673.
Ned has been sent to his Great Aunt Helen's cottage by the sea for the holidays. But nothing turns out as planned. For a start, there's no aunt, and when strange things start to happen, it's clear that Ned is no longer alone. A ghost, a girl on the run, and an old man hiding next door - all have secrets, and all the while in the lonely coast outside the waves build to a terrible storm.
Blackman, Malorie
Dangerous reality. 2005. Read by Felix Dexter, 3 hours 47 minutes. TB 15332.
VIMS - the Virtual Interactive Mobile System - is the creation of Dominic's scientist mum. An artificial intelligence masterpiece, it can disarm a car bomb, search through underground pipes - or hold a baby. But then VIMS attacks violently and without warning, and Dominic realizes it is no longer a fantastic game. It's dangerous reality.
Blackman, Malorie
A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E.. 2004. Read by Philip Elstob, 4 hours 31 minutes. TB 17043.
It's a normal Friday evening for Elliot - until the police knock on the door and tell him his mum's in serious trouble! A security video clearly shows her breaking into a giant pharmaceutical company on behalf of the environmental action group A. N. T. I. D. O. T. E. Elliot can hardly believe it. His mum's a secretary, isn't she? Not a spy!
Blackman, Malorie
Operation Gadgetman!. 2006. Read by Syan Blake, 2 hours 57 minutes. TB 18065.
Beans calls her dad 'Gadgetman' because of the weird and wonderful gadgets he comes up with - everything from exploding biscuits to Spy Kits. But when Gadgetman accidentally invents a device that could be used to steal millions of pounds, the wrong people find out and Gadgetman is kidnapped! With the help of her friends - and her special Gadgetman Spy Kit - Beans is determined to track down the kidnappers and rescue her dad. But can she find Gadgetman before he is forced to hand over the details of his invention?
Blackman, Malorie
Tell me no lies. 2012. Read by Clifford Norgate, 4 hours 31 minutes. TB 19810.
Gemma and Mike - two kids hurt by their past are now inextricably linked. Their effect on each others' lives will be explosive.
Blume, Judy
It's not the end of the world. 2006. Read by Lynsey Beauchamp, 3 hours 27 minutes. TB 17576.
Karen's parents have always argued, and lately they've been getting worse. But when her father announces that they're going to get divorced, it seems as if Karen's whole world will fall apart. Her brother, Jeff, blames their mum. Her kid sister, Amy, asks impossible questions and is scared that everyone she loves is going to leave. Karen just wants her parents to get back together. Gradually, she learns that this isn't going to happen - and realizes that divorce is not the end of the world.