Best Audiobook: Children's
The winner and shortlist for the Best Audiobook: Children’s category at The British Audio Awards - aka The Speakies - organised by The Bookseller and The Stage
For children’s audiobooks for ages up to young adult titles. The audiobook categories celebrate the process from text to listener, including the work of the narrator and audio production team.
Winner
Miffy Story Time Collection
Dick Bruna
Yoto
Hannah Melbourn
Harriet Blackamore
How do you turn picture books for young children into audio? In the case of Miffy and Yoto, it was by commissioning original music from Louie Taylor and the Northern Film Orchestra, which perfectly complemented Hannah Melbourn’s warm narration of the 19 Miffy stories.
“So much care, time, energy and investment went into this project… it’s lovely to see how seriously everyone took it,” the judges said. “It’s a beautiful production that feels right in keeping with the books.”
Shortlist
Default Step
Bunny vs Monkey
Jamie Smart
Bolinda Audio
Ciaran Saward
Keely Armstrong
The British Book Awards Fiction Audiobook of the Year, brought to the market by audio specialist Bolinda, with Jamie Smart's chaotic characters rendered into life by Ciaran Saward and careful soundscaping. In total 90-hours of audio was recorded for the three-hour final version.
Choose Your Own Evolution
Jules Howard
Nosy Crow
Glen McCready
Meg Meloy
Nosy Crow took an innovative approach to adpating the print to audio for this non-fiction title with Strathmore Studios working with Nosy Crow's own team and actor Glen McCready. The text and chapter headings were changed for ease of use, with the auto-play feature used to generate a cohesive path through the book.
Hamza's Wild World
Hamza Yassin
Macmillan Children’s Books
Hamza Yassin
Alistair George, ID Audio
Read by the author, someone with severe dyslexia, this was more than an adaptation, it was the creation of the most authentic version of his story. The audiobook was layered with a rich tapestry of sound working with the production team at ID Audio.
Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Making Enemies
Louie Stowell
WF Howes
Ben Willbond
Richard Fox
Book 4 of Stowell's successful series, with actor Ben Willbond back as the undisputed voice of Loki. Publisher W F Howes' bestselling 2024 release in the children's audiobook category.
Miffy Story Time Collection
Dick Bruna
Yoto
Hannah Melbourn
Harriet Blackamore, Yoto
A 19-story collection, read by Hannah Melbourn, with music composed by Louie Taylor, and performed by the Northern Film Orchestra. This was Yoto's first-ever custom musically scored story card.
Skandar and the Skeleton Curse
AF Steadman
Simon & Schuster Children's Books UK
David Dawson
Alex Mackenzie
Narrator David Dawson returns for the next in Steadman's highly succesful series, working with Strathmore Studios. He brings the world of warrior unicorns to life, says the author of the actor.
