Host Jo Reed is joined by narrator Karen Murray to talk about HOW SWEET THE SOUND by Kwame Alexander, one of our picks for the Best Children and Family Audiobooks of 2025. Karen shares how she dove into this musical exploration of Black music in America, which “felt like home to her.” The experience begins with a poem as the listener is guided through the talking drums of Africa, to the blues, jazz, funk, and soul, and eventually hip-hop. Jo and Karen share why this listen is perfect for families, even down to the final, fascinating glossary.

Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook

Published by Hachette Audio.

AudioFile’s 2025 Best Children & Family Listening are:

AND SHE WAS LOVED by Andrea Davis Pinkney, read by Andrea Davis Pinkney
BAD BADGER by Maryrose Wood, read by Chris Devon
MILLIE FLEUR SAVES THE NIGHT by Christy Mandin, read by Elizabeth Knowelden
THE POISONED KING by Katherine Rundell, read by Sam West
HOW SWEET THE SOUND by Kwame Alexander, read by Karen Murray
WHALE EYES by James Robinson, read by James Robinson

Explore the full list of 2025 Best Audiobooks on our website

Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Katee Robert. Discover your next great listen at dreamscapepublishing.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices