There are often several different versions of certain stories in the Yoto Store. Which one is right for you depends on listener age and preference! From figuring out which are abridged or not, to wondering if a card has character voices on it, this post will help you understand the difference between difference cards you so can make the best choice for your family.
Which Yoto Cards have character voices?
There are several Yoto cards that feature the actual character voices from cartoons/shows/movies. These are often a big win with young children because it gets them excited about the Yoto Player with audio that is already familiar to them.
These Yoto Cards feature character voices from the voice actors your children will recognize:
- All the Daniel Tiger Cards
- Paw Patrol - The Pup Pack (but not any of the other Paw Patrol cards)
- Fancy Nancy
- Peppa Pig - any of the English cards with colored backgrounds have character voices: Playtime with Peppa, Winter Wonderland, The Great Outdoors & Bedtime Stories. John Sparks is the narrator of the actual Peppa Pig show and narrates these too! However, the versions in Spanish do not have the same reader, and the two Peppa cards with white backgrounds are read by a female narrator who does voices herself, but it isn't the actual cast.
- Any Sesame Street SONGS cards (but none of the STORY cards). So Elmo's World, Lullabies, Favorite Songs, Nursery Rhymes, and Christmas,
- Disney Soundtrack cards: Encanto The Songs, Moana The Songs, Frozen Songs, Frozen 2 Songs
- If you want more Disney character voices on Yoto, then we HIGHLY recommend going the MYO route with the Disney Storyteller tracks from Amazon. Click on a movie title, then on the next page use the "Purchase Options" button to choose "Buy MP3."
- You can also look for Disney Storyettes or Disney Songs and Story. These are so easy to put on MYO cards!
Whats the difference between Audiobooks and a Full Cast Dramatization?
Normally, audiobooks just have one narrator narrating the entire novel (sometimes two if it's a dual-POV book). The sole narrator will often adjust their voice to differentiate various characters, but sometimes it can be confusing for young kids to figure out which character is speaking. Some narrators don't change their voices for different characters at all.
Full-cast dramatizations are audiobooks with a cast of narrators rather than just one single narrator. The cast makes it easy to keep track of which character is speaking, and it's often a more immersive experience since many dramatizations also include music and even sound effects. These are sometimes called a "radio dramatization" or a "full cast recording."
Yoto Cards with a Full Cast Narration
- Peter Pan
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit
- Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales
- The Moffats
- BBC Children's Classics (Wind in the Willows, The Secret Garden, Treasure Island, The Railway Children, Tom's Midnight Garden)
There are a few options in the Yoto store where there are two versions of a story, so you can pick between a full cast or a single narrator. Here they are:
Wind in the Willows (Yoto Original vs. BBC Children's Classics)
- The Yoto Original version of The Wind in the Willions is abridged and has a sole narrator. it's 3 hours and 22 minutes long.
- The BBC version features a full cast, sound effects, and a more immersive experience. It is also abridged and comes in at 2 hours 20 min.
The Secret Garden (Yoto Original vs BBC Children's Classics)
- The Yoto Original version of Secret Garden is about 2 hours and 40 minutes. It's recommended for the 5-9 year olds.
- The BBC version of The Secret Garden is a full-cast radio show-style adaptation of the book. Having different voice actors as the different characters can really help bring the story to life! Note: The BBC version of Secret Garden is currently only available on the UK Yoto store.
Treasure Island (Yoto Original vs BBC Children's Classics)
- The Yoto original and the BBC version of Treasure Island BOTH have a full cast narrating the story. They also both include music and sound effects, but the Yoto original is about 30 minutes longer. Note: The BBC version of Treasure Island is currently only available through the UK store.
What's the difference between abridged and unabridged?
Unabridged books are the whole story - the full and original book as the author wrote it. Alternately, abridged books are when some things are removed from the original.
Books are often abridged to make them shorter, which might be more appropriate for a younger child or as an introduction to the story. You are relying on the person who has done the abridging to select which parts of the story to keep. They often remove the "fluff," but not anything that will lose plot points or the author's intent if removed.
Another reason books are abridged is to take out things that might be considered inappropriate now - almost like an edited version.
Some people don't like abridged versions of the book because they want to read the full text as it was originally written, but it's usually a better option for kids, who don't need the "full" experience to develop a love of reading.
Unabridged Yoto Cards
In general, most cards in the Yoto card catalog are unabridged. Here are some of the options people commonly ask about:
- Charlotte's Web
- Stuart Little
- Chronicles of Narnia
- The Book of Three
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
- The Phantom Tollbooth
- Roald Dahl Collection
- The Boxcar Children
- The Mary Poppins Collection
- The Magic Treehouse Collection
- Frog and Toad Audio Collection
- The Tale of Despereaux
- Dragon Tales
- The One and Only Ivan
- Wings of Fire
- Holes
- Ella Enchanted
- The Train to Impossible Places
Abridged Yoto Cards
Some of the "classics" have been abridged to a shorter version. Although some people don't like abridgements (it's not how the author intended it!), we believe they provide a lovely way for children to enjoy famous literature at their level. A 2-hour story is much more accessible to younger listeners than a 7-20 hour story.
- Anne of Green Gables (the original is 9+ hours, this one is less than 3 hours)
- Wind in the Willows (the original is 7 hours, the Yoto card is 3 and a half)
- Little Women (the original is almost 20 hours, the Yoto original is just over 2 hours, so keep in mind that it only covers about one year of the novel)
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (the original is around 4 hours and the Yoto card cuts out a bit, making it 2 and a half hours)
- The Jungle Book (there are many different versions, with most around 5 hours, but the Yoto version is 2 hours)
- Treasure Island (the original is almost 7 hours and this one is 2 and a half hours)
- A Little Princess (other versions vary between 6 and 8 hours, but the Yoto version is around 2 and a half hours)
- Heidi (the original is around 7 hours but the Yoto card is 2 and a half hours)
- Oliver Twist (there are several versions, most ranging between 16-18 hours, but this one is less than 2 and a half hours)
- The Secret Garden (the original is over 7 hours long but this version is under 3 hours)
- Peter Pan (there are many versions of this audiobook of varying lengths, and the Yoto card is a little over 2 hours)
Which Yoto Card Should I Get? Multiple Versions
There are several cards in the Yoto Card Store that have multiple versions.
We get questions all the time... "Which version is better? Which one should I get?" This list will walk you through the differences so you can make a good choice!
Yoto has their own post about it the Disney cards here, but we break it down for you in detail below.
Frozen (Junior Novel) vs. Frozen (Disney Classics) vs Frozen: The Songs vs. Frozen 5-Minute Stories
The Frozen Junior Novel Yoto card has Elsa and Anna on the front with a winter scene behind them. It is a retelling of the movie with one narrator, no character voices. It runs for 2 hours and 16 minutes and is great for kids between 6-8.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator.
The Frozen Disney Classics has only Elsa on the front with a blue background. It is much shorter - only 34 minutes - so it's great for kids between 4 and 8. This one has one narrator, and no character voices.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator and has sound effects.
Frozen - The Songs is just what it sounds like - the soundtrack of Frozen! This card has Anna, Elsa, Hans, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven on the front. So singable!
The Frozen 5-Minute Stories has Anna, Elsa, and Olaf on the front and is read by various individual narrators, depending on the story.
It is 28 minutes long and has 4 different stories. It has both the Frozen and Frozen 2 stories, as well as two extras - The Ghost of Arendelle and Snow and Tell. It's perfect for younger kids, like 3 years old, up to about 8 (though it might be a bit boring for kids near the older end of that range). No character voices.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator.
Frozen 2 was also recently released with multiple versions! Frozen 2 - The Songs is the soundtrack and the card has a black background with a snowflake.
Narrator: This soundtrack has the original music soundstrack from Frozen 2.
The Frozen 2 Junior Novel has Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven on the front with the autumn scene behind them. This runs for almost 4 hours. It is recommended for kids between 6 and 12 and retells the movie. It does not include character voices.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator and has music.
So to be clear, the voices of Anna, Elsa, and other characters are NOT available on any of the story cards, other than the original soundtrack cards.
Moana (Junior Novel) vs. Moana Songs
The Moana Junior Novel features Moana sitting on a palm tree with Maui underneath her. It also has Pua and Heihei in the tree with Moana.
It runs for a little under 3 hours and is great for kids between 6-12. It's read by one narrator and is a retelling of the Disney movie.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator and has background music.
Moana: The Songs is the soundtrack for the movie. So it has all of the songs - both instrumental and the songs you can sing along with!
It is only 28 minutes long, so it's great for kids of all ages (especially any kids that love Moana). Yoto recommends it for ages 3-12.
Narrator: This soundtrack has the original music from the movie.
Encanto (Junior Novel) vs. Encanto Original Songs vs. Encanto Storybook Collection
The Yoto card for the Encanto Junior Novel has a detailed photo of the Madrigal casita with Mirabel and the other main characters.
It is a little over 2 hours long and, as a retelling of the movie, it is great for kids between 6 to 8 years old. It's read by one narrator.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator. There are not character voices.
The Encanto Songs Yoto card looks very similar to the Junior Novel. Luckily, it does say "Songs" on the front and is slightly different in color and detail, but it also features the Madrigal home with the main characters. So it can be tricky for kids who can't read to tell them apart!
It is 31 minutes long and is great for kids between 3-12. So basically any child that enjoys the music of Encanto!
Narrator: This soundtrack has the music from the movie.
The Encanto Storybook Collection has the Madrigal family on the front, but no casita, which makes it easier to tell this card apart!
It's a shorter way to hear the story of Encanto - it runs for 48 minutes - but the age range is similar to the Junior Novel. This one is recommended for kids between 5-8.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator and has music and sound effects.
Daniel Tiger's Sleepy Stories vs. Daniel Tiger's 5-Minute Stories vs. Daniel Tiger's Potty Time
The Yoto card for Daniel Tiger's Sleepy Stories features Daniel Tiger in blue pajamas, yawning like he's ready for bed. This card includes Daniel's Bedtime, Prince Wednesday Sleeps Over, and more. This card is 42 minutes long and it's great for kids 2-5 years old.
NARRATOR: This card features character voices and official songs, with a female narrator that tells the rest of the story.
Daniel Tiger's 5-Minute Stories has a picture of Daniel Tiger on the front in his red hoodie, standing out in the street. This card is 45 minutes long and is recommended for kids between 2 and 5 years old.
NARRATOR: This is read by a female narrator who tells the story but also has character voices and the official songs included within the stories.
Yoto also has Daniel Tiger's Potty Time, which is a Yoto card about Daniel learning to go to the bathroom right when you need to go! It's 35 minutes, so it's good for the same age range as the other cards. It's read by the same narrator as the other Daniel Tiger cards.
NARRATOR: This is read by a female narrator but also includes character voices in the story.
Goodbye, Blue Fish is about the day when Daniel learns his pet, Blue Fish, died. This story shows Daniel learning about death and how to cope with grief. It runs for 10 minutes and is for kids ages 2-5.
NARRATOR: This is read by a female narrator but also includes character voices and music.
Paw Patrol Pup Pack vs. Paw Patrol 5-Minute Stories
The Paw Patrol Pup Pack has six cards with each card containing a picture of one member of the Paw Patrol team. They are audio dramatizations of TV episodes with cast voices and music from the show.
The 6 cards together run for a total time of 3 hours. You can break them up by card though and listen to them one at a time, so it works for younger kids! The recommended age range is 2-6.
Narrator: This audiobook collection has the character/cast voices, music, and sound effects. Most kids LOVE these!
The 5-Minute Stories is a blue card with a picture of all the members of the Paw Patrol. It has only one narrator, so it doesn't have the cast voices, but this is original content and not retelling episodes.
It is 40 minutes long in total, with the stories broken up in 5-7 minute increments, and is for kids between 3-6 years old.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator and has sound effects.
Paw Patrol Mighty Pup Power is a 50-minute card recommended for kids between 3-6 years old. This is great for any superhero lovers since it's about the Paw Patrol getting superpowers. Just one narrator reads it.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator and has sound effects.
Paw Patrol Goodnight Adventure Bay has seven short adventures with sound effects. It runs for 48 minutes and is for kids between 3-6. It has only one narrator.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator and has background music and sound effects.
If you like holiday cards, you can get Paw Patrol Pups' Halloween or Paw Patrol Pups' Christmas. The Halloween card runs for a little over an hour and the Christmas card is about 50 minutes. They are recommended for the same age range as the others (3-6). They are both read by a single narrator.
Narrator: Both audiobooks are read by a male narrator and have sound effects.
The Lion King (Junior Novel) vs. The Lion King (Disney Classics)
Wondering what the difference is between the two Lion King Cards? Here's the spiel:
One card is The Lion King Junior Novel and has a sunset image of Mufasa and Simba on the front.
This card is a novel-length story of The Lion King movie, read by a female narrator. It's a word-for-word retelling of the physical Junior Novel produced by Disney Press.
This card is 4 hours and 37 minutes long (one of the longest junior novels ever!). Yoto recommends this for ages 6-12, which we agree with; it's not going to keep the interest of young listeners.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator and has music and sound effects.
The other card is called Disney Classics: The Lion King and has a cartoon Simba with a reddish background.
This card is a short retelling of the movie with background sound effects (like animals galloping, cicadas humming, etc). However, it does not include character voices or songs. It is a good summary of the movie with the important conversations and plot points. It's also slightly cheaper than the other version.
This Yoto card is 37 minutes long, making it more fitting for the 4-8 recommended age range. Be aware that younger listeners may find it a bit scary!
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator and has sound effects.
Beauty and the Beast (Junior Novel) vs. Beauty and the Beast (Disney Classics)
The Beauty and the Beast Junior Novel has a picture of the iconic rose under glass.
It is a retelling of the movie and is read by a single narrator. It runs for over 5 hours and is recommended for kids between 6-14.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator.
The other version is the Disney Classics card. It has a cartoon picture of Beauty and the Beast together, like the animated movie! It's only 39 minutes so it's much better for younger kids. It's recommended for kids between 4 and 8.
This shorter card (the Disney Classics) is a few dollars cheaper!
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator and has sound effects.
The Little Mermaid (Junior Novel) vs. The Little Mermaid (Disney Classics)
The Little Mermaid Junior Novel has a picture of Ariel with Flounder and Sebastian. It has an ocean background.
It runs for about 2 hours and 40 minutes and is read by a female narrator. It's for kids ages 6-12. It's a retelling of the movie, word-for-word, so it's great for any kids who love the movie.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator and has background music.
The Disney Classics card has a greenish-teal background with a picture of just Ariel.
It is 36 minutes and is for kids 4-8 years old. It's a shortened version of the story so it's great for kids who are younger or have shorter attention spans.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator and has sound effects.
You can also get The Little Mermaid: The Songs, which is just the music from the movie and is only about 40 minutes long. That card has the live-action photo of Ariel sitting on a rock underwater.
Narrator: This soundtrack has the music from the live-action Little Mermaid film.
Aladdin (Junior Novel) vs. Aladdin (Disney Classics)
The Aladdin Junior Novel is the one with the picture of the lamp. It runs for a little over 5 hours and is read by one narrator. Like the other junior novels, it is recommended for kids between 6 and 12 years old!
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a female narrator.
The Aladdin Disney Classics has a picture of Aladdin with a purple background.
It is only 34 minutes long, so it's perfect for younger kids between 4 and 8 years old. It's also read by a single narrator.
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator and has music and sound effects.
Star Wars (Junior Novel) vs. 5-Minute Star Wars Stories vs. Stories of Jedi and Sith
The Star Wars Junior Novels are digital, so you won't get a physical copy of them. This is a trio of digital cards; it has The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. The covers of each feature the movie covers with Rey, Luke, and other characters.
All three cards combined run for almost 17 hours and have various narrators. Because they are so long (retelling the films), they are recommended for ages 5-12, though we do think they can be a little intense for the younger side of that range. It'll definitely depend on your children and if they can handle a bit of action and scary moments!
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator and does NOT have character voices or any music.
The 5-Minute Star Wars Stories has a blue space background with cartoon figures of Luke, Leia, Rey, Finn, BB-8, and Darth Vader.
It runs for an hour and a half and is great for kids between 5-8. It has 12 stories, each about 5 minutes long. The stories feature Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Rey, Yoda, and more.
Narrator: This is a series of stories read by two different narrators. It does not have character voices, but it has lots of sound effects and the Star Wars music theme at the beginning of each story.
The Stories of Jedi and Sith is a digital-only card. It has Darth Vader on the front.
It runs for 6 hours and is recommended for kids between 8 and 12. This digital card has 10 stories about Jedi and Sith with exciting battles that will be fun for slightly older children!
Narrator: This audiobook is read by a male narrator and has background music.
Marvel Press Junior Novels vs. 5-Minute Stories Collection vs. Avengers Storybook Collection
The Marvel Press Junior Novels each tell a different story, so each one has a different character on the front. The Phase 1 set features the Hulk, Captain America, and Thor. You can also get Phase 2 here, which has Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
The junior novels are each a few hours long. The first set runs for a total time of 8 and a half hours. It is read by multiple narrators, and they are a retelling of the movies, so they include all of the action, violence, and language in the movies. Because of this, they are recommended for kids 8 and up.
NARRATOR: This collection is read by different solo narrators for each card, and they all have background music. No character voices.
The 5-Minute Marvel Stories features several cartoon-like drawings of characters like Captain America, Spiderman, Groot, Ironman, and more, with the Black Panther in the front.
These stories are much more appropriate for younger kids. It is only an hour and 17 minutes in total and is recommended for kids 5 and up. It is read by one narrator. The stories are about 5 minutes each, so it's great for younger kids who want something short!
NARRATOR: This is read by a female narrator.
The Avengers Storybook Collection has multiple characters on it as well. It has Captain America in front, along with Ironman, Black Widow, Hulk, Thor, and Black Panther.
It is read by one narrator and is one hour and 16 minutes. They are recommended for kids between 3-8, but we think the range is closer to 5-8.
NARRATOR: This is read by a female narrator and has background music.
CONCLUSION
Like we mentioned before, choosing cards with full-cast narrations or dramatizations really depends on what age your kids are and what you want from your Yoto listening.
I'd suggest reading reviews if there are any and asking for advice from any Yoto listeners you know. But going based on how long the stories are and the recommended age range can really help when you're narrowing down what cards your kids might like!
We are always trying to keep this list updated. If you have suggestions for cards that belong in certain lists or a topic you're interested in, please comment to let us know!
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