National Literacy
Trust picks


10 fantastic family listens
all about friendship
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.

From nursery to the school years and beyond, friendship plays a pivotal role in all of our lives. Explore the National Literacy Trust's favourite friendship picks, from Tom Fletcher's The Danger Gang, narrated by the McFly star himself alongside Harry Potter's Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), to The Offline Diaries, from the authors of Slay in Your Lane, Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené.
Product list
  • Show Us Who You Are cover art

    • Show Us Who You Are

    • By: Elle McNicoll
    • Narrated by: Charlotte Boundy
    • Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
    • Release date: 30-09-21
    • Language: English
    • 162 ratings
    • Show Us Who You Are by Elle McNicoll
    • 'Making friends is hard when your brain works differently, but Cora has finally found someone who seems to get it. Can Cora and Adrien crack the mysterious goings-on at Adrien's dad's company? Gripping audio for older listeners.'

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  • The Danger Gang cover art

    • The Danger Gang

    • By: Tom Fletcher, Shane Devries
    • Narrated by: Tom Fletcher, Tom Felton
    • Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
    • Release date: 01-10-20
    • Language: English
    • 983 ratings
    • The Danger Gang by Tom Fletcher
    • 'Something strange starts to happen after a bizarre thunder storm, and before he knows it Franky has a new group of friends with some unusual superpowers... a fun family listen from the author of The Christmasaurus, about moving house and finding your gang.'

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  • The Offline Diaries cover art

    • The Offline Diaries

    • By: Yomi Adegoke, Elizabeth Uviebinené
    • Narrated by: Tiwa Lade, Ella Dacres
    • Length: 3 hrs and 32 mins
    • Release date: 28-04-22
    • Language: English
    • 6 ratings
    • The Offline Diaries by Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené
    • 'Ade is about to start a new school, and Shanice has been at the school for a year. They become friends and start chatting online, but it's through their diaries we hear the real story. Brilliantly narrated!'

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  • The Last Bear cover art

    • The Last Bear

    • By: Hannah Gold
    • Narrated by: Helen Phillips
    • Series: The Last Bear, Book 1
    • Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
    • Release date: 18-02-21
    • Language: English
    • 116 ratings
    • The Last Bear by Hannah Gold
    • 'When April and her father move to Bear Island, she forms a life changing friendship with a polar bear and makes transformative decisions for them both. We were blown away by this breathtaking adventure.'

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  • When the Sky Falls cover art

    • When the Sky Falls

    • By: Phil Earle
    • Narrated by: Phil Earle
    • Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
    • Release date: 03-06-21
    • Language: English
    • 134 ratings
    • When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle
    • 'We were captivated by this narration about how Joseph slowly learns to love. Witness his move to the city, turbulent relationships with his reluctant host, new school mates, and a silverback gorilla called Adonis!'

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  • Einstein the Penguin cover art

    • Einstein the Penguin

    • By: Iona Rangeley
    • Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes
    • Series: Einstein the Penguin, Book 1
    • Length: 3 hrs and 23 mins
    • Release date: 11-11-21
    • Language: English
    • 5 ratings
    • Einstein the Penguin by Iona Rangeley
    • 'When a penguin from the zoo turns up at their home, the Stewarts have no idea how important a family member he will become and how his friendship will help young Arthur Stewart to blossom. We loved this heart-warming story.'

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  • Be Real, Macy Weaver cover art

    • Be Real, Macy Weaver

    • By: Lakita Wilson
    • Narrated by: Arischa Conner
    • Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
    • Release date: 12-07-22
    • Language: English
    • Not rated yet
    • Be Real, Macy Weaver by Lakita Wilson
    • 'Macy Weaver cannot keep a best friend. She constantly lies to impress people, but when she moves schools, the lies fall apart and threaten everything Macy wants people to believe about her life. An entertaining, moving narration about true friendship - and fashion!'

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  • Sleepovers cover art

    • Sleepovers

    • By: Jacqueline Wilson
    • Narrated by: Susannah Harker
    • Series: The Imagination Box, Book 1
    • Length: 1 hr and 57 mins
    • Release date: 05-02-08
    • Language: English
    • 178 ratings
    • Sleep-Overs by Jacqueline Wilson
    • 'When Daisy tries to befriend a group of girls at her new school she finds that some are kinder than others. This listen captures the fun of sleep-overs with your mates, while tackling the sometimes tricky nature of pre-teen friendships.'

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  • The Superpets (and Me!) cover art

    • The Superpets (and Me!)

    • Amazing True Stories of Incredible Animals from the Nation’s Favourite Supervet
    • By: Noel Fitzpatrick
    • Narrated by: Emily Fox, Al Doyle, Noel Fitzpatrick, Strathmore Studios
    • Length: 4 hrs
    • Release date: 14-09-23
    • Language: English
    • Not rated yet
    • The Superpets (and Me!) by Noel Fitzpatrick
    • 'The story of a supervet and the friendship he formed with Pirate, a pet sheepdog and close friend. Listen with care - while language is suitable for listeners aged 9+, some of the stories of animals in trouble might be distressing.'

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  • Skellig cover art

    • Skellig

    • By: David Almond
    • Narrated by: David Almond
    • Series: Skellig, Book 1
    • Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
    • Release date: 07-02-13
    • Language: English
    • 208 ratings
    • Skellig by David Almond
    • 'Stuck in a new house, his baby sister in hospital, Michael is lonely. Then he and his new friend Mina discover a strange creature who needs their help to survive, and things change. A touching story about friendship and kindness.'

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