Audiobooks by Lauren Child

Top of the Class: The complete BBC Radio 4 series

Major public figures go back to their beginnings and uncover where they really started John Wilson (acclaimed arts and culture reporter and journalist, and presenter of Front Row, Newsnight Review and Pick of the Week) meets up with a variety of public figures from such diverse fields as food, mathematics, politics, writing and music, and takes them back to the influential schools, teachers, and early workplaces they may have forgotten, but which have not forgotten them. His guests include the first Black trade union leader, Lord Bill Morris; classical violinist Tasmin Little; the late restaurateur and television chef, Gary Rhodes; Lord Digby Jones, former Minister of State for Trade and Investment; the late Women's Prize and Costa Book Award winning author, Andrea Levy; veteran journalist, broadcaster and former politician Michael Portillo, and many more. The locations too are widely varied and richly formative - from car component manufacturers and specialist vocational institutions to grammar and private schools. Top of the Class is a fascinating look beneath the usual façade of a public figure, perfect for anyone wanting to see the human face behind a successful life story, as well as the teachers, mentors, best friends and rivals who helped them grow into the person they became. Episode guide First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: Bill Morris 28 July 2008 Tasmin Little 4 August 2008 Lauren Child 11 August 2008 Gary Rhodes 18 August 2008 Marcus du Sautoy 28 December 2010 Rachel Portman 18 January 2011 Lord Digby Jones 25 January 2011 Michael Portillo 19 July 2011 Andrea Levy 26 July 2011 Production credits Presented by John Wilson Produced by Sarah Taylor © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Andrea Levy, Bill Morris, Digby Jones, Gary Rhodes, John Wilson, Lauren Child, Marcus Du Sautoy, Michael Portillo, Rachel Portman, Tasmin Little (Author), Andrea Levy, Bill Morris, Digby Jones, Gary Rhodes, John Wilson, Lauren Child, Michael Portillo, Rachel Portman, Various (Narrator)

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Scram!

The exceptionordinary, effervescent Clarice Bean is back with her trademark heart and humour in this beautifully illustrated story by former Children’s Laureate Lauren Child – a delightful summer read for the entire family! Nothing ever happens except for sometimes. And only on rare-ish occasions, which is hardly ever. There are times when even I can’t turn the nothing into more than it is. But there was one day in the holidays that began as a nothing day and then everything happened. Absolutely nearly everything. The unforgettable Clarice Bean finds herself escaping the danger of boredom when she meets an actual real-life DOG who will NOT scram!

Lauren Child (Author), Lauren Child (Narrator)

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Clarice Bean: Think Like an Elf

Join the one and only Clarice Bean and ‘Think Like an Elf’ in this irresistible and spectacularly sparkling Christmas story from the inimitable Lauren Child. Clarice Bean usually looks forward to Christmas. Except this year it is going to be a quiet-ish Christmas in her house, which doesn’t feel right because Christmas is all about noisiness and being full up and FAMILY. And without those things, she is going to have to try exceptionordinarily hard to stop the Christmas spirit completely floating away… But luckily, there is no one in the world like Clarice Bean – and she is going to THINK LIKE AN ELF, and that means everything will be A-OKAY. Won’t it? The one and only Clarice Bean is back to save her family’s Christmas in this sparkling story of joy, goodwill to all peoplekind, and some very Clarice catastrophes, perfect for sharing with all the family! Wrap yourself in the warmth and wit of former Children’s Laureate Lauren Child and be transported by the love and laughter that is Christmas with the utterly irreplaceable Clarice Bean. “We can’t get enough Clarice Bean.” The Sunday Times

Lauren Child (Author), Lauren Child (Narrator)

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Flights of Fancy

The exceptional talents behind some of the nation's best-loved books - from The Gruffalo to The BFG, We're Going on a Bear Hunt to the Charlie and Lola series - the Children's Laureates are the perfect ambassadors for children's literature. It's been twenty wonderful years of the Laureateship and now all ten former honourees have banded together to celebrate the only way they know how: through stories, poems and pictures . Among others, Quentin Blake tells the stories behind his pictures of weird and wonderful beasts, Michael Morpurgo draws on childhood memories for a moving wartime tale and Michael Rosen plays with language and shapes in his witty, read-aloud poems. Each contribution is designed to inspire children to create their own work and is accompanied by a note from the authors - rare insights from the finest talent in the world of children's books. Above all else, Flights of Fancy celebrates the Laureateship's most important achievement: encouraging children to let their imagination soar.

Anne Fine, Anthony Browne, Chris Riddell, Jacqueline Wilson, Julia Donaldson, Lauren Child, Malorie Blackman, Michael J. Rosen, Michael Morpurgo, Quentin Blake, Sir Michael Morpurgo (Author), Anthony Browne, Multiple Narrators, Various, Various Readers (Narrator)

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Hubert Horatio: How to Raise Your Grown-Ups

Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent is back in this hilarious book for ages six and up from the superstar creator of Clarice Bean and Charlie and Lola, Lauren Child. “These stories are about the days when the Bobton-Trents had it cushy, very cushy indeed.” The Bobton-Trent seniors certainly know how to make the most of their extravagant wealth – socialising, doing things, buying things and generally being more than a little bit … irresponsible… Luckily for them, their son Hubert Horatio is an exceptionally intelligent, talented and sensible child. Unluckily for Hubert, this tends to mean that a lot of his spare time is spent steering his rather unruly set of grown-ups out of trouble. Legendary children’s writer and Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2017-2019 Lauren Child revisits one of her most popular characters in these brand-new, laugh-out-loud stories about the rather unconventional Bobton-Trents! The perfect gift for children aged six and up.

Lauren Child (Author), Tamsin Greig (Narrator)

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Hubert Horatio: A Very Fishy Tale: World Book Day 2019

A deliciously funny tale from Lauren Child - the superstar creator of Clarice Bean and Charlie and Lola - especially for World Book Day! Hubert Horatio is quite possibly the most responsible and clever child you will ever meet. This is the very fishy tale of how an ordinary day became the death-defying rescue of Hubert Horatio. And who did the rescuing? Why Hubert, of course...

Lauren Child (Author), Tamsin Greig (Narrator)

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Ruby Redfort Blink and You Die

Ruby Redfort: undercover agent, code cracker, and thirteen-year-old genius. You can count on her when the ice starts to crack. FALLING THROUGH THE AIR AT 120 MILES AN HOUR? Relax your body and think fast. But now Ruby Redfort is running scared. A whole bunch of people want her dead. And worst of all, one of them is on her team. YOU CAN RUN, RUBY, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE.

Lauren Child (Author), Rachael Stirling (Narrator)

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Ruby Redfort Pick Your Poison

Ruby Redfort: you can count on her if you’re between a rock and a hard place. A BITE FROM A POISONOUS SNAKE? Pass the antivenom. NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE THE FALL? You don’t even have to ask. STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF TROUBLE? Not so easy. There are the bad apples and snakes to look out for, but they aren’t half as poisonous as the rumors floating around Twinford. With so much to chew on, will Ruby pull through in one piece?

Lauren Child (Author), Rachel Sterling (Narrator)

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Blink and You Die

Say goodbye to Ruby Redfort: every smart kid's smart kid. The mind-blowing conclusion to the thrilling series by award-winning author Lauren Child. Ruby Redfort: undercover agent, code-cracker and thirteen-year-old genius - you can count on her when the ice starts to crack. All good things come to an end... Ruby Redfort is running scared, a whole bunch of people want her dead and worst of all one of them is on her team. But just who is this agent of doom? You can run, Ruby, but you can't hide...

Lauren Child (Author), Rachael Stirling (Narrator)

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Ruby Redfort Feel the Fear

Ruby Redfort: undercover agent, code cracker, and thirteen-year-old genius. She's one fearless kid, buster. UNMASKING AN EVIL VILLAIN? All in a day's work. CLIMBING BUILDINGS AND RUNNING ACROSS ROOFS? Take a leap of faith. SEEING THE WARNING SIGNS? Not so much. When a ghostly foe begins stealing from the highest buildings in Twinford, Ruby is ready to defy death once more to capture the bandit. But how do you catch a thief who isn't there? Ruby might think she's invincible, but recklessness always comes before a fall.

Lauren Child (Author), Rachael Stirling (Narrator)

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Pick Your Poison

Meet Ruby Redfort: every smart kid's smart kid. The fifth book in the nail-biting series, created by award-winning author Lauren Child. Ruby Redfort: undercover agent, code-cracker and thirteen-year-old genius - you can count on her when you're between a rock and a hard place. There's a lot to lose sleep over in Twinford: there's the snakes and the bivalves, but they aren't half as poisonous as the rumours. With so many twists and turns it's hard to know who to trust, particularly when no one trusts you. Will Ruby make it out in one piece? Well, happy endings are for fairy tales, bozo.

Lauren Child (Author), Rachael Stirling (Narrator)

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Ruby Redfort Catch Your Death

There's more to most things than meets the eye—or nose—as code-cracking, wisecracking girl detective Ruby Redfort returns in her third adventure. Wild animals roaming around Twinford? Ruby Redfort has heard the rumors, but she doesn't quite believe them. She's got enough on her mind doing wilderness survival training with the secret agency Spectrum, and her bad eyesight isn't helping. But as high society buzzes with news of a very exclusive perfume formula coming to town, and then some priceless jewelry goes missing, Ruby begins to sense that there's a sinister plot in the works. Can our favorite action hero sniff out the clues in time to keep Twinford safe from evil scents? Well, let's say this is one of those times when you gotta forget the rules and follow your nose to survive.

Lauren Child (Author), Rachael Stirling (Narrator)

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