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A list of our favorite audiobooks for kids, plus some tips on introducing and encouraging your kids to listen to audiobooks.
Updated April 2024
We have long been big fans of family audiobooks, listening to them in the car, at breakfast, while drawing, and even while doing chores.
Regular books are great, of course, but sometimes you just want to listen to a story, especially with a good narrator.
Sometimes an audiobook is a good way to enjoy a story together as a family. Here are some of our favorite audio books to listen as a family to. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have!
Our Favorite Audiobooks for Kids
The Penderwicks
Written by Jeanne Birdsall and narrated by Susan Denaker (series of 5)
The Mysterious Benedict Society
Written by Trenton Lee Stewart and narrated by Del Roy (series of 5)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Written by J.K. Rowling and narrated by Jim Dale (series of 7)
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
Written by Karina Glaser and narrated by Robin Miles (series of 3)
Anne of Green Gables
Written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and narrated by Mary Sarah
The Magic Misfits
Written and narrated by Neil Patrick Harris (series of 3)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Written by E.L. Konigsburg and narrated by Jill Clayburgh
Favorite Audio Books for Younger Kids
Here are a few audiobooks we enjoyed more when our kids were a bit younger.
The Ramona Quimby Audio Collection
Written by Beverly Cleary and narrated by Stockard Channing (a series of 8)
Pippi Longstocking
Written by Astrid Lindgren and narrated by Christina Moore
Mr. Poppers Penguins
Written by Richard & Florence Atwater and narrated by Nick Sullivan
The Magic Treehouse Collection: Books 1-8
Written by Mary Pop Osborne and narrated by B.J. Harrison
More Audiobooks Recommendations
Here are a few audiobooks that we haven’t listened to, but we know and love in other formats or have been highly recommended by others.
The Boxcar Children
Written by Gertrude Chandler Warner and narrated by Aimee Lilly
Mary Poppins
Written by P.L. Travers and narrated by Sophie Thompson
Charlotte’s Web
Written by E.B. White and narrated by George Plimpton
How to Train Your Dragon
Written by Cressida Cowell and narrated by David Tennant
Winnie the Pooh
Written by A.A. Milne and narrated by Peter Dennis
The Little House in the Big Woods
Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and narrated by Cherry Jones
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
Written by Betty MacDonald and narrated by Karen White
5 Tips for Family Audio Books
- Definitely listen to the audio sample before making a purchase! The story is important, but the narrator makes or breaks the book. If you don’t like the narrator, you won’t want to listen to the book. Luckily, there are many truly wonderful narrators out there!
- If you’re choosing an audiobook for a range of ages, consider what might be interesting enough for the older child but still appropriate for the younger one. This can be tricky, but you know your kids best, and every child is different. And sometimes you might just need to skip a scene to make it work.
- Audible books can be exchanged if you’re not happy with the book for some reason.
- If you’ve listened to an audiobook as a family and your child wants to listen again (and again), hand them some earbuds.
- Some great times to listen to audiobooks together are in the car, of course. But also at breakfast. Or while having a family art session. Or while everyone is doing some sort of handwork (knitting, embroidery, drawing). Or to make the time pass more quickly while doing chores.
How about you? Is your family into audiobooks? What are your favorites?
More Books for Kids
- The Best Creative Activity Books for Kids
- 30 Children’s Books About Artists + Creativity
- The Best Children’s Books About Gardening
- 7 Children’s Books about Spring
- The Best Children’s Books About Space
- Children’s Books to Celebrate Black History
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