National Literacy
Trust picks


10 back-to-school listens
for a new year ahead
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.

Explore the National Literacy Trust’s favourite back-to-school listens, perfect for families adjusting to a new school year or little ones starting for the very first time. From lighthearted stories full of charm to tales of acceptance and friendship, these listens are a great way to wind down together after a busy day.
Product list
  • Matt Millz cover art

    • Matt Millz

    • By: Harry Hill
    • Narrated by: Harry Hill
    • Series: Matt Millz, Book 1
    • Length: 4 hrs and 39 mins
    • Release date: 10-11-17
    • Language: English
    • 19 ratings
    • Matt Millz by Harry Hill
    • 'The first book in the hilarious series about 12-year-old stand-up comedian Matt, who attempts to launch his comedy career at the school talent show. Of course, it's never that simple! Brilliantly written and narrated by favourite comedian Harry Hill.'

    £7.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • The Boy At the Back of the Class cover art

    • The Boy At the Back of the Class

    • By: Onjali Q. Raúf, Pippa Curnick
    • Narrated by: Imogen Wilde
    • Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
    • Release date: 12-07-18
    • Language: English
    • 1,237 ratings
    • The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf
    • 'We recommend this heartwarming story about a Syrian refugee boy who comes to the UK, and the friendship of four students from his school who help him overcome prejudice and fear through compassion and understanding.'

    £12.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • The Worst Witch cover art

    • The Worst Witch

    • By: Jill Murphy
    • Narrated by: Gemma Arterton
    • Series: The Worst Witch, Book 1
    • Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
    • Release date: 04-09-14
    • Language: English
    • 413 ratings
    • The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
    • 'Mildred Hubble is the worst witch ever! She gets her spells wrong, crashes her broom and even her cat is rubbish. She needs to embrace her uniquness to save the school… before it is too late. A lighthearted, entertaining listen.'

    £7.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • Skandar and the Unicorn Thief cover art

    • Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

    • The international, award-winning hit, and the biggest fantasy adventure series since Harry Potter
    • By: A.F. Steadman
    • Narrated by: David Dawson
    • Series: Skandar, Book 1
    • Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins
    • Release date: 28-04-22
    • Language: English
    • 367 ratings
    • Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
    • 'Skandar dreams of winning a place at Unicorn School on the island. He hatches and bonds with his unicorn Scoundrel’s Luck however his new life leads to exciting new encounters and discoveries about his family.'

    £12.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • Go Big cover art

    • Go Big

    • The Secondary School Survival Guide
    • By: Matthew Burton
    • Narrated by: Matthew Burton
    • Length: 2 hrs and 45 mins
    • Release date: 21-05-20
    • Language: English
    • 3 ratings
    • Go Big: The Secondary School Survival Guide by Matthew Burton
    • 'A handy and friendly guide to managing the (sometimes scary) transition from primary school to secondary school. Perfect for listening to with your child in year 6 or year 7.'

    £7.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • Baby Aliens Got My Teacher! cover art

    • Baby Aliens Got My Teacher!

    • Baby Aliens, Book 1
    • By: Pamela Butchart
    • Narrated by: Susan Calman
    • Series: Baby Aliens, Book 1
    • Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
    • Release date: 01-12-17
    • Language: English
    • 95 ratings
    • Baby Aliens Got My Teacher! by Pamela Butchart
    • 'Horrible teacher Miss Jones is acting very strangely... it's almost like she's... happy?! Izzy comes to the only logical conclusion: aliens must have got her! A funny and lively school story for the whole family to enjoy.'

    £7.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • Hugless Douglas Goes to Little School cover art

    • Hugless Douglas Goes to Little School

    • By: David Melling
    • Narrated by: Alan Davies
    • Series: Hugless Douglas
    • Length: 5 mins
    • Release date: 19-01-17
    • Language: English
    • 1 rating
    • Hugless Douglas Goes to Little School by David Melling
    • 'Douglas is starting school today! Let's join him for his first day and see what he gets up to and who he meets at his new school. This is a great story for reassuring those little ones who are starting at a new school.'

    £2.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • The Funny Life of Teachers cover art

    • The Funny Life of Teachers

    • By: James Campbell, Rob Jones
    • Narrated by: James Campbell
    • Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins
    • Release date: 18-08-22
    • Language: English
    • 21 ratings
    • The Funny Life of Teachers by James Campbell and Rob Jones
    • 'A completely anarchic and silly guide to being at school. A mixture of interesting facts and absolute lies, this is brilliantly funny and read with buckets of character by James Campbell.'

    £7.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • A Girl Called Justice cover art

    • A Girl Called Justice

    • A Girl Called Justice, Book 1
    • By: Elly Griffiths
    • Narrated by: Imogen Wilde
    • Series: A Girl Called Justice, Book 1
    • Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins
    • Release date: 04-05-19
    • Language: English
    • 86 ratings
    • A Girl Called Justice by Elly Griffiths
    • 'When Justice is sent away to boarding school the last thing she expects is to have to solve a murder, but who can she trust in this place? Perfect listening for young readers who love detective stories.'

    £7.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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  • Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun cover art

    • Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun

    • By: Tolá Okogwu, Goziam Okogwu
    • Narrated by: Nneka Okoye
    • Series: Onyeka, Book 1
    • Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
    • Release date: 09-06-22
    • Language: English
    • 34 ratings
    • Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu
    • 'When Onyeka is whisked away to train in a superhero academy in Nigeria and search for her missing dad, she realises she is much more powerful than she ever imagined. A thrilling listen for young lovers of action and adventure.'

    £12.99 or free with trial. Auto-renews at £8.99/month after trial. See eligibility.

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