This is a collaborative post
Looking to gift some Yoto card collections this Christmas? Why not combine with the matching book collection to create the perfect gift for curious minds?
One of the biggest concerns I hear from parents considering buying a Yoto player is “Will take away the joy of actual reading?” A book before bed is often a huge part of children’s bedtime routine – a chance to sit down tighter, snuggle up and have some relaxing bonding time before they drift off to the land of nod. We also know that reading for pleasure is a huge part of the national curriculum and that reading a wide range of titles from different authors is key to building a good understanding of vocabulary as they grow up.
Using an audio player such as the Yoto doesn’t need to replace this, but can actually enhance your existing experience with books.
Yoto cards don’t have to be enjoyed alone. Whether it’s opting for Yoto Cards with ‘read along’ tracks at the end such as the Julia Donaldson Collection or choosing full card collections offering unabridged versions of the books, you can easily combine the physical books with the audio cards to offer the combined benefits of reading and audio.
As well as being huge fans of Yoto, we love buying our physical books at affordable prices from Books2Door, an online book retailer that offers substantial discounts from RRP. They’re currently got an extra 10% off their top picks for Black Friday too!
We’ve researched the best book collections that you can buy in both physical and audio form this Christmas to introduce some new titles to your child’s collection.
Best Yoto book collections for younger children
Julia Donaldson The Zog and Friends Collection
Julia Donaldson’s books are a childhood rite of passage, with adorable characters, fun rhyming stories and imaginative adventures. The Zog and Friends Collection includes six of my daughter’s absolute favourites, with the option to listen to the story alone or use the read-along track, encouraging children to read the words on the physical book and turn the page when they hear the music. This is a great way to help younger readers recognise words by sight – the more words they see, the faster they can become fluent readers.
Claude Rather Smashing Collection by Alex. T. Smith
Fun chapter books for early readers (or for slightly longer stories to enjoy with parents before bed), you simply can’t beat good old’ Claude – a series of laugh-out-loud adventures by Alex. T. Smith. Claude is no ordinary dog. He and his faithful friend Mr Bobblysock have a tendency to find themselves in the right place at the right time, becoming an unexpected hero and saving the day, wherever his travels may take him.
We love the idea of snuggling down with the book and listening along with the Yoto stories. There are five books in the Yoto card collection, while there are nine books in the book collection.
Best Yoto book collections for 5- 7 year olds
Magic Faraway Tree Collection by Enid Blyton
Of all the cards in our Yoto card library, the Magic Faraway Collection – specifically The Enchanted Wood and The Folk of the Faraway Tree, are Neve’s absolute favourites. If you were lucky enough to read this book as a child yourself, you’ll also love sharing the adventures of Joe, Beth and Frannie as they discover a magical tree in the woods round the corner from their new home.
Full of excitement, adventure and some amazing characters such as Moonface and silky that your children will never forget, this Yoto Collection is an absolute must. Combine with the physical books, and you’ve got some spellbinding tales that your children will want to enjoy over and over again. (Not only is the book collection 50% off RRP at Books2Door, there’s also an extra title too – Up the Faraway Tree!)
Rainbow Magic The Magical Party Collection
Another series my girls have both grown up loving is The Rainbow Fairies – there are so many books to choose from in this book collection – all with a sprinkle of magic, adventure and friendship – they’ll love trying to spot a fairy with their own name or the name of their friends. Yoto has a collection of 7 Rainbow Fairies cards from the Magical Party Collection. If your children enjoy the stories, the physical book collection includes another 14 exciting tales to explore, with some more specific vocabulary to improve their phonics and blending abilities.
Toto the Ninja Cat Collection by Dermot O’Leary
Another fun series by presenter turned author Dermot O’Leary, Toto is no ordinary cat. Heading on exciting nocturnal adventures, Toto and his brother Silver become unexpected heroes – with some subtle messages around friendship, inclusivity and not giving up even when life gets hard.
A great collection for early readers who are progressing to chapter books, there are four cards and four books to enjoy in this combination, with 39% off the RRP at Book2Door.
Best Yoto book collections for 7-10 year olds
The Worst Witch Collection by Jill Murphy
Not only is this one of Yoto’s best-selling Yoto card collections, but you can also get a HUGE saving off the book collection RRPat Books2Door, with 75% off the recommended retail price. Written by iconic children’s author Jill Murphy (who also wrote our favourite picture book Peace at Last) these delightful stories tell the laugh out adventures of accident prone Mildred Hubble as she starts her journey through Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches.
Don’t let younger children be put off by the idea of a witch, these stories are absolutely delightful, with spellbinding adventures to enjoy.
The Christmasaurus Collection by Tom Fletcher
We are HUGE fans of Tom Fletcher in this house, with his magical Christmas tales making the perfect books to listen to or read during advent or the run up to Christmas. While it doesn’t include the very latest title Christmasaurus Carol (as this was only released last month), this Yoto card and book collection features the first stories about young boy William Trundle and his unexpected adventures with his festive dinosaur friend, the Christmasaurus.
Best Yoto book collections for 9-11 year olds
The Narnia Collection by C.S. Lewis
While there may be some ongoing debate about which book is the first in the series (spoiler alert – it’s surprisingly not The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), no childhood is complete without this much loved series by C. S Lewis. MeePeter, Susan, Edmund and my namesake Lucy as they meet the white witch and Aslan the lion.
The Narnia Collection is a recent addition to the Yoto library, or you can save a ginormous 77% on the RRP of the complimenting book set at Books2Door.
Roald Dahl Collections
Last but by no means least, Matilda the Musical has seen a huge revival of interest in the classic tales by beloved author Roald Dahl. From the miniature bookworm Matilda to the revolting Twits and James’ Adventures with a giant peach, there are a number of Yoto Card bundles and Book Collections for independent readers to enjoy. Whether they opt for the physical book, listen as they read, or switch between a combination of the two, combining these sets makes a great gift for adventure readers. In the words of Roald Dahl himself, books can transport you into whole new worlds…..
Haven’t found the book collection for you?
Check out the full range at the Yoto Store now, and explore the huge range of book collections with humongous discounts off RRP at Books2Door. Don’t forget, if there aren’t the physical Yoto cards to match yet, you could read the story aloud and record on a Make Your Own card too, offering a unique way to enjoy the books together as part of your child’s bedtime routine.
