Kirkus young readers’ editor Laura Simeon suggests three middle-grade audiobooks that invite listening across generations, beginning with Anna James’s Alice With a Why, where Kristin Atherton’s graceful, finely tuned narration captures both the whimsy and emotional intelligence of this return to Wonderland. Jodi Meadows’ Confessions From the Group Chat offers a sharply observed look at middle-school dynamics, with Eevin Hartsough delivering a natural, conversational performance that makes Virginia’s missteps feel immediate and deeply human. And in Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter, British author and former Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho narrates his own fast-moving, imaginative adventure with energy and warmth, anchoring its time travel and mythmaking in a voice that feels personal and inviting. These are three engaging middle-grade stories, elevated by narrators who bring clarity, nuance, and a strong sense of voice to every moment.

Audiobooks Discussed:

Alice With a Why by Anna James, read by Kristin Atherton (Listening Library)

Confessions From the Group Chat by Jodi Meadows, read by Eevin Hartsough (Recorded Books)

Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter by Joseph Coelho, read by Joseph Coelho (Dreamscape)

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Middle-Grade Books in Three Voices