20 fantastic audiobooks for kids & adults

I love reading, but listening to audiobooks had never really appealed to me until nearly ten years ago, when I had three kids and realized quite how much of the rest of my life I'd spend in the car. My hubby and I decided that we wouldn't allow screens of whatever sorts on car rides (unless we were on a seriously long route trip) because our kids already got plenty of screen time. But the boredom. And the poking each other! And the asking if we were there notwithstanding. And the poking each other. Information technology'south enough to bulldoze a parent admittedly bonkers. In an endeavour to save our sanity, we started checking out sound books at the library to heed to in the machine with our kids. And we were amazed by how much everyone (u.s. included) enjoyed listening to stories together. Suddenly running errands was a little more enjoyable, and long car trips didn't seem like such torture. Audiobooks for the win!

Today I'chiliad giving you a listing of 20 fantastic audiobooks for kids and adults, broken up by historic period group. But even the books I've listed for young kids are entertaining enough that you lot'll enjoy them too. Happy listening!

Best Audiobooks for Preschool/Early on Elementary Kids

1: The BFG by Roald Dahl

This book is purely delightful, for kids and adults akin. A young orphan named Sophie is snatched from her bed in London by a behemothic. Luckily for her, the giant who has snatched her is friendly and has no involvement in eating her, but (unluckily) his companions practice. The book is clever, funny, and heady (without beingness too scary), and the narration is wonderfully washed.

two: My Father's Dragon past Ruth Stiles Gannett

When Elmer Elevator meets a cat who tells him about a poor infant dragon tied upwardly on a faraway island, Elmer decides he'd better stow away on a gunkhole and go rescue the dragon. And so begins a wonderful adventure. This is a nifty volume for listening to with immature kids: it'south easy plenty for them to follow without feeling dumbed down and the story is both sweet and clever.

3: Charlotte's Spider web by E. B. White

When young pig Wilbur realizes he'south destined for the farmer'due south dinner table, Wilbur and all his farmyard friends devise a plan to proceed him alive. I can still remember hearing Charlotte's Spider web for the first time, and you probably can too. It'southward one of those wonderful classics that's begging to be listened to.

4: Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

Nate the Great books are cute, funny, detective stories that will concur the attention of even preschoolers. The linguistic communication is easy to understand, the stories are easy to follow, and kids volition relish trying to figure out the mystery earlier Nate does. At that place are lots of books for hours of listening!

5: Ivy and Bean past Annie Barrows

Ivy and Bean may be neighbors, merely they certainly didn't plan on condign friends. Merely when Edible bean gets in trouble, Ivy comes to her aid and a friendship is formed. Lots of mischief ensues in the series, which ensures kids will dearest to listen! Note: some of the characters practice things you probably don't want your kids doing, so be aware you may want to talk about the stories afterwards listening to them.

Best Audiobooks for Upper Elementary Kids

6: The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birsdall

This the the story of the four Penderwick sisters and their delightful summer on the grounds of a beautiful estate. The imaginative sisters explore the gardens and the cranium and befriend Jeffrey, the son of the formidable manor owner. The story is enchanting and lighthearted, and may remind y'all of stories you read equally a kid.

seven: The Mysterious Bridegroom Gild by Trenton Lee Stewart

Children respond to an advertisement in the newspaper to have mind-bending tests; the few who pass are sent on a mysterious mission. At that place are enough of riddles to solve and smart, resourceful kids you'll autumn in love with.

8: Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson

This fast paced pirate chance tells the story before the story of Peter Pan, filling in all the questions you never knew you had: where did pixie dust come from and how did Peter go to Neverland in the outset identify? Lots of swashbuckling action, humor, and a great story…and the narration is past Jim Dale, who narrates the Harry Potter audiobooks and arguably the all-time narrator ever. Seriously.

9: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

After Meg's father disappears while doing hush-hush work for the government, a mysterious stranger appears with information for 1000000. She travels through space and time with the assistance of her little brother Charles Wallace and new friend Calvin to endeavour to save her father.

10: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Sixteen people are chosen together for the reading of Samuel W. Westing'due south will, and each one of them is a possible heir to his huge fortune. They just have to figure out who the money is really supposed to go to. This is a clever, suspenseful mystery that volition accept kids and adults guessing until the very end.

Annotation: I can't not mention Harry Potter hither, even though many of you volition already accept read or listened to them. The books themselves are fantastic, but the audiobook narrations by Jim Dale may be the single well-nigh entertaining matter you'll ever mind to.

Best Audiobooks For Teens

11: Coil of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

This is one of those books that many people only start considering it's required reading for a class, merely that almost everyone loves when they stop. Set in the deep S in the midst of the low, this book introduces today's youth to the racism and social injustice that kids of today may not know existed. Information technology also introduces them to Cassie, one of the almost beloved book characters of all fourth dimension, and her understanding of family, belonging, and a love for the land.

12: Stoneheart (trilogy) by Charlie Fletcher

When 12-year-old George breaks a stone dragon off the wall of London'due south Natural History Museum, he enters another "layer" of London, where the statues and carvings come to life. And he also accidentally starts a war that he doesn't know how to end. (This ane is as well narrated by Jim Dale.)

13: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

In Katsa's world, all of those who have a "grace" are unusual–they are built-in with some sort of unique gift or ability. But Katsa is even more unusual, because her grace is for killing. This means those in ability seek to exploit her souvenir, while she seeks to find her place in life (and solve the mystery that may threaten her people). Content annotation: At that place is one extremely brief and mild sex scene, and some characters disagree with the idea of marriage.

fourteen: Steelheart (The Reckoners Trilogy) by Brandon Sanderson

Ten years ago, the Epics began to appear: superhumans with powers and then strong they hands dominate the rest of humanity. At present, no one even attempts to fight them. No one except the Reckoners, a group of ordinary humans who study the Epics in social club to larn their weaknesses and take them downwards one past ane. Note: I recollect the writing in this trilogy is a lilliputian weaker than the other books I'yard recommending; that existence said, it's a fairly original story that'south fast paced and exciting, and about teens will love information technology.

15: A Great and Terrible Beauty (trilogy) past Libba Bray

16 year old Gemma Doyle is sent to a boarding school in England afterward her mother's tragic decease. Gemma is different from the other girls at the school, and not simply considering she grew up in India–she besides has a dark power she isn't sure how to control. She has tragic visions that come truthful, and she besides has the key to an alternate world called the Realms, where dreams and nightmares both become reality. Role fantasy, office Victorian gothic novel, this book is captivating. Content annotation: Alterate world is somewhat "dark." Characters are very flawed (i.e. pretty realistic). Probably best for older teens.

All-time Audiobooks For Adults

sixteen: And And then In that location were None by Agatha Christie

Ten strangers are invited to an isle mansion, merely when they arrive their host is mysteriously absent. A recorded bulletin tells them they each have a guilty hush-hush, and by the finish of the evening 1 of them is dead. A storm strands them on the island, and they brainstorm to die, one past one. It'southward an intense, fast paced mystery with a fantastic, unexpected catastrophe.

17: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This is a story of women in the Due south in the 1960's–white women and black women. Skeeter, a white woman who has just returned home after graduating from college, finds herself wanting to hear and tape the stories of "the help", the black women who make clean the homes and raise the children of Skeeter's friends. Nonetheless, it's extremely risky for the blackness women to share their stories. This incredible book is made fifty-fifty more enjoyable by a beautiful narration that makes you feel like y'all are correct there in the South with them.

18: Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris

Set in a boys' prep schoolhouse in England, this story centers around Roy Straitley, a Latin professor who has been teaching for 33 years. Chapters are alternately told in his voice and the vocalization of an unnamed new professor who plans to "take down" the school. Nosotros know from the get-go that this new professor is planning murder and mayhem, but we don't know who he is or what he's planning to do.

19: The Eagle Tree past Ned Hayes

This story is told from the persective of a 14 twelvemonth old male child with autism who loves copse. I mean he really, really loves trees, and he feels it's his life's purpose to climb the tallest tree around: the Eagle tree. Unfortunately, not only is the Eagle tree on private property, it's also slated to be cut downwards any 24-hour interval. The story is interesting on it's ain, but the window it gives into life with autism is really fascinating.

20: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Long considered i of the best novels of all time, Anna Karenina is the perfect book for a route trip: long and sweeping, full of compelling characters and romance and tragedy. It's ane of those books that everyone should probably read, but the length and Russian names make it a picayune intimidating. But a really wonderful new narration pastAureate Globe-winning actress Maggie Gyllenhaal makes it much more accessible.

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Since becoming an audiobook convert, we've purchased many of the books on this list from Audible.com so we can mind to them again and once more. We love Audible's subscription service which allows you to choose a new audiobook every month for a great low cost. In fact, you tin get your first volume free with a thirty twenty-four hours trial. Click hither to beginning listening!

This is a sponsored conversation written past me on behalf of Audible. The opinions and text are all mine.

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