The Night Gardener
Jonathan Auxier
A gothic, atmospheric mystery about two orphaned children and a house that feeds on its inhabitants. Genuinely suspenseful and beautifully written — we could not stop listening.
Our story
Their minds were hungry — but what should I feed them?
When we first started homeschooling, I assumed — as a former public school student — that what we needed to do was simply "do school" at home. That idea brought a great deal of frustration. I quickly discovered that it is nearly impossible to recreate traditional school while also running a household.
I already knew that too much screen time was not good, especially for minds still developing. I knew I wanted my children to grow up with books — real books — but how could I find enough? Which ones should we read? I remembered all the reading programs schools used to persuade children to read anything — just read! But I knew instinctively that this wasn't enough. It did matter what was going into their minds.
The human mind is like a millstone, turning ever round and round; if it have nothing else to grind, it must itself be ground. — Charlotte Mason
In my search for something more substantial, I began taking my children to the library. That became one of our favorite places. I let them fill bags with books to their hearts' content. We checked out far more than we could ever hope to read. And then one day, I wandered into the magical aisle of CD audiobooks. That was the beginning of something truly special.
We started bringing home as many audiobooks as we could carry.
I can still hear my now eighteen-year-old son, then just a little boy, saying "Let's listen!" whenever I paused the story to make a comment. He wasn't interested in my interruptions — he wanted the story to continue. Sometimes we would drive around the country roads simply to finish one more chapter or reach the end of an exciting scene. I'm sure our neighbors wondered what in the world we were doing, driving back and forth with no apparent destination.
Those were glorious days.
They were screen-free days filled with laughter, suspense, and sometimes tears. We shared adventures together. When we were at odds with one another, the stories often gave us common ground again. They drew us back together. The images from those books still live in my imagination today. Even if I had never had children, I would never regret spending those hours listening to great stories.
The stories have been the constant.
I can still picture little Grace from Little House on the Prairie, sitting peacefully in the flower-filled buffalo wallow after everyone had been frantically searching for her. I can still hear Cherry Jones's voice as she narrated that unforgettable scene. Audiobooks have been one of the greatest blessings to our homeschool and one of the richest enrichments to our family life.
The recommendations that follow are only the tip of the iceberg — I hope they help another family discover the same joy that ours did.
Our recommendations
Stories worth carrying home
These are the series that lived in our car, our kitchen, and our imaginations. Each one is a world worth entering together.
Ages 6 and up
The Chronicles of Narnia
C. S. Lewis
All seven books. We listened to them in publication order — start with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and let the world grow around you.
01
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The one that started it all for so many families. Aslan's voice will stay with your children for years.
02
Prince Caspian
A quieter story, but the return to Narnia feels earned. Wonderful for discussing faith and memory.
03
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Our family's favorite. Eustace's transformation is one of the most moving things in children's literature.
04
The Silver Chair
Puddleglum alone is worth the listen. A story about holding on to what is true when the world insists otherwise.
05
The Horse and His Boy
Set during the Golden Age of Narnia. A beautiful story of identity, belonging, and providence.
06
The Magician's Nephew
The creation of Narnia. Read this one after the others and it will take your breath away.
07
The Last Battle
Heartbreaking and glorious. My daughter still quotes the final lines from memory, unprompted, at dinner.
Ages 5 and up
The Little House Series
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Cherry Jones narrates the full series and her voice is simply irreplaceable. This is the audiobook that made me a believer.
01
Little House in the Big Woods
The perfect beginning. Cozy, detailed, and full of the rhythms of a life lived close to the land.
02
Little House on the Prairie
Little Grace in the buffalo wallow. I can still hear Cherry Jones's voice in that scene.
03
On the Banks of Plum Creek
The grasshopper plague is unforgettable. Children feel the weight of it in a way no textbook could convey.
04
By the Shores of Silver Lake
Laura begins to grow up. A gentle transition into the later, more complex books.
05
The Long Winter
One of the most gripping survival stories ever written for children. We could not stop listening.
06
Little Town on the Prairie
Laura's world expands. Wonderful for conversations about community, work, and growing up.
07
These Happy Golden Years
A satisfying, warm conclusion to Laura's story. A lovely one to end on together.
Ages 8 and up
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase Series
Joan Aiken
Wildly inventive, genuinely suspenseful, and full of the kind of villains children love to hate. A wonderful discovery.
01
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Two brave girls, a wicked governess, and wolves at the door. Gothic, funny, and completely gripping.
02
Black Hearts in Battersea
Simon's story. The world of the series expands beautifully into the streets of London.
03
Nightbirds on Nantucket
Dido Twite at sea. One of the most original child characters in all of children's literature.
Ages 9 and up
The Anne of Green Gables Series
L. M. Montgomery
Anne Shirley is one of the most beloved characters in all of children's literature — imaginative, warm, and irrepressible. The audiobooks are a perfect companion for long drives and quiet afternoons alike.
01
Anne of Green Gables
The one that started it all. An orphan girl arrives at a farm on Prince Edward Island and proceeds to enchant everyone she meets — including the reader.
02
Anne of Avonlea
Anne is now a teacher in Avonlea. Her adventures continue with the same warmth and humor, and her friendships deepen beautifully.
03
Anne of the Island
Anne goes to Redmond College. Romance, friendship, and the bittersweet joy of growing up — this is the volume that makes readers cry the happiest tears.
04
Anne of Windy Poplars
Anne writes letters home from Summerside. Told largely in epistolary form, it is cozy, funny, and full of Montgomery's gift for character.
05
Anne's House of Dreams
Anne and Gilbert begin their life together. A quieter, more tender book — and all the more beautiful for it.
06
Anne of Ingleside
Anne as a mother, her children growing up around her. A lovely, gentle close to the heart of the series.
Ages 7 and up
Standalones We Love
Jonathan Auxier · George Selden · Ralph Moody
Four books that arrived in our home at exactly the right moment. Each one is the kind of story that makes children want to stay up past bedtime — and makes parents want to let them.
A note from Kristi
One of the greatest blessings to our homeschool.
The recommendations that follow are only the tip of the iceberg, but I hope they help another family discover the same joy that ours did. Audiobooks have been one of the greatest blessings to our homeschool and one of the richest enrichments to our family life. Start with whatever is on this list that catches your eye — and then let your children lead you further.
Why it matters
Living books for the whole child
- The stories drew us back together. When we were at odds, a shared adventure gave us common ground again.
- Screen-free and full of life. Laughter, suspense, and sometimes tears — all without a single screen.
- The images stay forever. Little Carrie in the buffalo wallow. Edmund and the Turkish Delight. They live in us still.
- The voice matters. A great narrator — like Cherry Jones reading Little House — is half the magic.
Charlotte Mason called them living books — books written by someone who loved their subject. Audiobooks let those books reach children who aren't yet readers, and children who already are. The millstones of their minds are turning — give them good grain.