Audiobooks to listen to at home

If you’re in need of something to keep the kids entertained, good news. In response to the school shutdowns caused by the coronavirus crisis, Audible has launched Audible Stories, offering more than 100 free audiobooks for young readers.

On offer are books for “littlest listeners,” elementary, tween, teen and adult. Many are classics, from “Winnie the Pooh” books to “Pride and Prejudice.” There are a few recent titles in the mix as well, from authors such as Ransom Riggs. Audiobooks in Spanish, Italian, Japanese and several other languages are available, too.

For families listening together, here are a few recent audiobooks to while away the time.

■ “American Moonshot,” by Douglas Brinkley, narrated by Stephen Graybill. Now this was a trip. One of America’s most popular historians tells the breathtaking story of the space program: the massive political, cultural and scientific effort that led to the creation of NASA and, eventually, to men landing on the moon.

■ “Full Throttle,” by Joe Hill, full cast including Zachary Quinto, Wil Wheaton, Kate Mulgrew, Neil Gaiman and more. This collection of 13 supernatural short stories proves once again that the scary apple doesn’t fall far from the tree: Hill’s father is Stephen King (who co-wrote two of the stories). From a coffee chain executive who has a run-in with werewolves to a librarian whose bookmobile delivers to the dead, there’s much mayhem.

■ “Becoming,” by Michelle Obama, read by the author. Given its massive sales and Obama’s rock-star book tour, it seems almost everyone must have read this insightful memoir. But the former first lady’s warm, confident reading gives the audiobook an extra depth.

■ “The Dutch House,” by Ann Patchett, read by Tom Hanks. The latest novel from the always fascinating Patchett is a dark family saga, sweeping across five decades, about the bond between two siblings who have it all — and lose it. The audiobook gets a subtle, sensitive reading by Hanks.

■ “Such a Fun Age,” by Kiley Reid, read by Nicole Lewis. This buzzy debut novel begins when a wealthy white couple hire a young black woman as a babysitter; when she takes their toddler to a grocery store one night, a guard accuses her of kidnapping. What happens next is a sharply witty, surprising story about race and privilege.