On the Road Again? 25+ Best Audiobooks for Summer Family Road Trips
Preparing for that summer family road trip can be daunting. You don’t want to have screentime for that long and trying to find a great audiobook is harder than forcing yourself to sleep in on a summer vacation. Check out the list below of beloved children’s audiobooks the whole family will love. Each title is followed by it’s listening time to make your decision-making a little easier.
*Titles with an asterisk are available only on Audible as of the most recent update of this post.
# Titles with a hashtag may have some elements a little too intense for sensitive listeners.
Stuart Little by E.B. White (1 h 57min)
Despite being a mouse born to human parents, Stuart is confident and courageous, loving and kind. You’ll love this narration by Julie Harris of the lovable mouse and his adventures with his brother George and his friends.
#The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (1 h 56min)
Edward Tulane is a porcelain rabbit who loves noone but himself but when he accidentally gets thrown overboard on a trip with his little girl, Abilene, he’s sent on a miraculous journey to find out what it means to really love someone.
#The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (3h 30min)
Despereaux Tilling was a tiny mouse who lived in the little Kingdom of Dor. He loved music, stories, and a princess named Pea.
#The Ickabog by J.K. Rowling (7h 52min)
Once upon a time in a kingdom called Cornucopia, people were happy and ate wonderful treats like Hopes-of-Heaven. But within the kingdom is a myth of a beast called the Ickabog. When the myth takes on a life of its own, two best friends take an adventure of a lifetime to untangle the truth of the beast and bring true happiness and peace to the kingdom again.
The Wilderking Trilogy by Jonathan Rogers
Twelve-year-old shepherd boy, Aidan Errolson, is changed forever the day Bayard the Truthspeaker announces Aidan is destined to be the Wilderking. A wonderful retelling of King David’s journey from anointing to crowning. You’ll love the author’s narration of the stories and won’t be able to help yourself from calling out with the bark of the Bog Owl.
*Book 1: The Bark of the Bog Owl (5h)
*Book 2: The Secret of the Swamp King (4h 41min)
*Book 3: The Way of the Wilderking (4h 20min)
The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson
The Igiby children have no idea they, along with their steadfast mother and their ex-pirate grandfather hold the key to the lost jewels of Anniera. When the fierce Fangs of Dang finally trace the lost jewels to the Igiby family, it sets them all on the adventure of a lifetime.
Book 1: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (8h 19min)
Book 2: North! Or Be Eaten (12h 1min)
Book 3: The Monster in the Hollows (9h 18min)
Book 4: The Warden and the Wolf King (13h 46min)
The Green Ember Series by S.D. Smith
Heather and Picket are sibling rabbits living an ordinary life until cataclysmic events launch them in an adventure they discover is threatening the entire world. Their journey sets them amidst falling kingdoms and reigning tyrants. My 10-year-old absolutely loved listening to this series.
Book 1: The Green Ember (7h 55min)
Book 2: Ember Falls (6h 35min)
Book 3: Ember Rising (9h 22min)
Book 4: Ember’s End (8h 28min)
Sweet Home Alaska by Carole Estby Dagg (8h 1min)
After Terpsichore’s dad loses his job, her family is heading off with 200 other pioneering families to Alaska as part of FDR’s New Deal program. It’s something she has always dreamed of but when her mom doesn’t want to stay, can Terpsichore convince her to stay?
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell (3h 30min)
In many ways, the novel is different from the movie. For instance, Toothless is small enough to sit on a shoulder and he talks! But it’s still great entertainment. In fact, after listening to David Tennant narrate in a single listen, our then 8-year-old was speaking with a Scottish accent.
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (6h 43min)
The first in a series by Jeanne Birdsall. The Penderwick sisters are delighted to stay at the Arundel estate in Massachusetts for the summer. The gardens, the treasure trove in the attic, and the best gingerbread in the whole state have them entranced. They even make friends with the owner’s son Jeffrey. But when the owner is not as entranced with them as they are with Arundel, can they stay out of trouble and not upset her?
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser (5h 39 min)
The Vanderbeekers have always known their little Harlem brownstone. But when they find out the ornery landlord is not extending their lease, the five siblings set out to prove to him they should be able to stay. Will they be able to convince Mr. Biederman to give them another chance?
Recommended Post: Book Review: The Vanderbeekers On the Road by Karina Yan Glaser
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (33h 45min)
Having Kenneth Branagh, Lyn Redgrave, and Patrick Stewart (among others) makes this version well worth the listen.
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne (2h 46min)
Peter Dennis narrates the stories of everyone’s favorite stuffed bear and his adventures with his friends in the Hundred Acre Woods. In my humble opinion, it is the only way to listen to Winnie-the Pooh
*The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (3h 49min)
We already had the whole collection on Google Play Books before learning Anne Hathaway narrates the first story in the beloved series. We haven’t listened yet but have too many friends tell us the performance is phenomenal to not include it here.
If you want to get a little crazy, listen to the whole collection. (70h 19min)
The Roald Dahl audio collection (3h 40min)
includes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (abridged), James and the Giant Peach (abridged), Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Enormous Crocodile, and The Magic Finger.
Matilda by Roald Dahl (4h 18min)
Matilda’s parents think she’s a worm. When she is sent to school, Miss Honey thinks Matilda is special. But when Matilda has a run-in with the nasty Ms. Trunchbull, they’ll all find out just how special she really is. Now a musical on Netflix, you’ll want to get the version narrated by Kate Winslet.
#The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (10h 25min)
Friends have told me that Rob Inglis did a wonderful job narrating but I heard Andy Serkis narrate first and honestly, I’m ruined for any other version. It was amazing!
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond (2h 39min)
Adventures in Odyssey: The Truth Chronicles by Focus on the Family (4h 55min)
These are found on CD but you can also buy the mp3 version
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner (6h 58min)
Volume 1 contains books 1 – 3
#The Princess & the Goblin by George MacDonald (4h 51min)
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Florence Atwater and Richard Atwater (2h 14min)
*Swallows & Amazons by Arthur Ransome (10h 15min)
This post was so helpful and informative. For any parent or grandparent, trying to find an audio book appropriate for children is very difficult. I’m sure I will enjoy these as well as my grandchildren.
Thank you for recommending these!
I hope you and your grandchildren enjoy them!