27 Feb 2023 · Written by KP
Audiobooks For World Book Day
xigxag offers an extensive library of audiobooks that are perfect for inspiring creative costumes. From classic literature to modern favourites, there’s something for everyone in our collection. Plus, with xigxag, your child can have access to thousands of hours of listening pleasure, with no monthly subscription required.
Here are a few of our favourite children’s audiobooks full of characters that might help inspire you:
!Percy Jackson and The Lightning ThiefPercy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Half boy. Half God. ALL Hero. I was just a normal kid, I went to school (got expelled a lot, but that wasn’t my fault), played sports and hung out with my best friend. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. Now, I spend my time at Camp Half Blood, battling monsters and generally trying to stay alive. And now that Zeus thinks I’ve stolen his lightning bolt, staying alive is going to be even harder…
*Character inspiration: Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. Grover Underwood the Satyr, or Percy himself. You could also consider a classic Greek God – Zeus, Poseidon or even Hades.*
Nevermoor The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Morrigan Crow is cursed, destined to die on her eleventh birthday. But, as the clock strikes midnight, she’s whisked away by a remarkable man called Jupiter North and taken to the secret city of Nevermoor. There she’s invited to join the Wundrous Society. Mystery, magic and protection are hers – if only she can pass four impossible trials, using an exceptional talent. Which she doesn’t have.
*Character inspiration: Morrigan Crow – usually dressed in black, she is a great option for Harry Potter fans who love magic and adventure.*
Look Into My Eyes (Ruby Redfort series) by Lauren Child
Hey, buster! Normal life is a total yawn. Break out of boredom with Ruby Redfort, the super-awesome creation from multi-million-copy bestseller Lauren Child… Want to know more? Of course you do, bozo. Here’s the low-down on Ruby Redfort: she’s a genius code-cracker, a daring detective, and a gadget-laden special agent who just happens to be a thirteen-year-old girl. She and her slick side-kick butler, Hitch, foil crimes and get into loads of scrapes with evil villains, but they’re always ice-cool in a crisis.
*Character inspiration: Ruby Redfort – think slogan t-shirts, jeans, red glasses and a side parting.*
!The School For Good and EvilThe School For Good And Evil by Soman Chainani
Every four years, two girls are kidnapped from the village of Gavaldon. Legend has it these lost children are sent to the School for Good and Evil, the fabled institution where they become fairytale heroes or villains. With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she’ll join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White at the School for Good. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black dresses and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil. But the two girls soon find their fortunes reversed – Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are?
*Character inspiration: Sophie or Agatha, or choose a past student like Rapunzel or Cinderella and intertwine classic fairy tale characters with this modern day fantasy.*
Billy The Kid by Michael Morpugo
Billy was a champion soccer star, playing for Chelsea in the 1930s. But that was before war broke out… Billy the Kid is told through the voice of an 80 year old man, who looks back on his life as Chelsea’s champion striker until the outbreak of war in 1939 and on through his subsequent life. Read by the inimitable Richard Attenborough.
*Character inspiration: Champion football star Billy. Chelsea FC kit = job done.*
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S Lewis
The Narnia Chronicles, first published in 1950, have been and remain some of the most enduringly popular children’s books ever published. The best known, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, has been translated into 29 languages! Lucy has stumbled upon a marvellous land of fauns and centaurs, nymphs and talking animals. But soon she discovers that it is ruled by the cruel White Witch, and can only be freed by Aslan, the great Lion, and four children…This is the second adventure in the exciting Chronicles of Narnia.
*Character inspiration: The obvious choices are Aslan the lion or the White Witch, however if you have a large cardboard box, then you could consider a homemade wardrobe – guaranteed to inspire conversation on the playground.*
When the East Wind blows Mary Poppins into the home of the Banks children, their lives go topsy-turvy and are changed forever. More than eighty years since we first met Mary Poppins, this original, classic story is still charming listeners and transporting new fans into the mysterious world of everyone’s favourite magical nanny. Evocatively read by the Oscar-winning star of the hit series The Crown Olivia Colman, this exquisite audio recording brings this classic story to life and is perfect for every family to share.
*Character inspiration: Supernanny Mary or her close friend Bert, the cockney jack-of-all-trades.*
The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton
When Joe, Beth and Frannie move to a new home, they discover an Enchanted Wood just outside their doorstep. Soon they find the Faraway Tree, which is the beginning of many magical adventures. Join them and their new friends Silky the fairy, Saucepan Man and Moonface, as they discover which new land awaits them at the top of the Faraway Tree. Will they visit the Land of Treats, the Land of Spells, or the Land of Do-As-You-Please? Come with them on an amazing adventure – there will be magic and fun at every turn.
*Character inspiration: The magical folk of the Faraway Tree; Silky the fairy, Moonface, or for an easy costume using things you can find in your kitchen – The Saucepan Man!*
World Book Day is all about celebrating books and reading – and dressing up as our favourite characters is just one way we can do that! With so many audiobooks for World Book Day available on xigxag, there are plenty of affordable options when it comes to finding inspiration this year. All titles on xigxag are £7.99 or less, and there’s no subscription or commitment.
Whether you choose an old classic or a modern favourite, your child will be sure to make an impression on World Book Day!
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