Before you hit the road, double-check you’ve got snacks, water, and something good queued up to listen to. And if you’ve ever spent hours searching for the best audiobooks for road trips or wondered about the easiest way to access content on the go, we’ve found some of the most amazing books and tools to check out.
With numerous audiobook apps for iPhone available online, many families have endless options to keep everyone entertained during those long stretches on the road.
You can even dip into tools that serve up quick summaries or curated short listens before picking the top stories as highlighted by Headway. This can help you discover new content fast, especially when you’re pressed for time or planning stops. So here is a quick list to check before your journey!
Top Family Audiobooks for Road Trips
Audiobooks are great for road trips; they keep the whole family entertained. However, it can be hard to pick something that works for everyone. So here are some audiobook recommendations that many families have actually enjoyed, according to feedback.
Audiobooks and Stories Little Ones Love Ages 3–7
Here are some crowd-pleasers to spark joy and wonder. Your kids would be happy to listen to these stories. It is introspection across age groups:
1. ‘The Gruffalo’ by Julia Donaldson
Save this story in your list as it is a 30-minute tale that is perfect for a short car ride. The Gruffalo book is a modern classic, and it’s funny and clever. It has just enough suspense to keep kids hooked. The story’s about a little mouse who tricks all the forest animals and even makes up a creature to scare them.
2. ‘Frog and Toad Audio Collection’ by Arnold Lobel
It’s basically these super sweet, chill stories about friendship that you can find online. With the total listening time around 2 hours, you can listen to it broken up into little episodes. You can stop whenever you want and start easily at rest stops. The narration is really warm, kind of like your favorite grandparent reading you a bedtime story.
3. ‘Pete the Cat’ series by James Dean
These are shorter, 15-20 minute stories, and they’re fun because you will find their songs. The narrator makes everything feel lively. On top of that, the stories sneak in lessons about being positive and bouncing back when things don’t go your way. These are all while keeping it super energetic for kids.
Extra List of Popular Books If Your Road Trip Is Long:
- ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ by A. A. Milne, narrated by Peter Dennis, about 4 hours, gentle and full of warmth.
- ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’ by Beatrix Potter, narrated by Flo Gibson, about 30 minutes, a short, sweet classic for shorter drives.
- ‘Matilda’ by Roald Dahl, narrated by Kate Winslet, is about 4 hours long, full of creative mischief and a sharp child hero, for plenty of giggles.
Great Listens Ages 7–12
If you’re into books that mix mystery and humor, we’ve got a list of recs for you here. This list would be interesting for both parents and children:
4. ‘The Wild Robot’ by Peter Brown
You can listen to Kate Atwater’s narration that brings this 5-hour adventure to life beautifully. The story of Roz, a robot stranded on an island, combines technology themes kids love with deeper messages about friendship.
5. ‘The One and Only Ivan’ by Katherine Applegate
Here, you can find Danny Gerard’s gentle narration that guides families through this Newbery Medal winner in about 4 hours. Your children will love the story that is told from a gorilla’s perspective. It opens discussions about empathy.
Extra List of Popular Books If Your Road Trip Is Long:
- ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ by J.K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale, about 8 hours, a magical start full of friendship and bravery.
- ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ by Cressida Cowell, narrated by David Tennant, about 3 hours, quirky humor and daring dragon adventures.
- ‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B. White, narrated by E.B. White, about 3 hours, gentle and timelessly sweet.
Stories Older Kids Can Get Into Ages 12+
This list is about long stories that are narrated by different voices and tackle difficult topics with sensitivity and humor. They would resonate with many families:
6. ‘Hatchet’ by Gary Paulsen
You will find Peter Coyote’s gripping narration that makes this 4-hour survival story feel like a movie. Your family will listen to a wilderness adventure that captivates teens while subtly teaching problem-solving and resilience.
7. ‘The Hate U Give’ by Angie Thomas
This is about the story and Bahni Turpin’s powerful narration. They both bring authenticity to this important 11-hour story. It is actually best suited for mature families ready to discuss social justice themes together.
Extra List of Popular Books If Your Road Trip Is Long:
- ‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins, narrated by Carolyn McCormick, about 11 hours, edge-of-your-seat pacing with strong characters.
- ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief’ by Rick Riordan, narrated by Jesse Bernstein, about 10 hours, fast-moving mythology with plenty of humor.
- ‘The Giver’ by Lois Lowry, narrated by Ron Rifkin, about 4 hours, thought-provoking questions about society and freedom.
Where You Can Find Family-Friendly Audiobooks
You actually have numerous options for listening to some of the most prolific writers. And when people argue about reading vs audiobooks, both have unique benefits. For example, audiobooks provide proper pronunciation of stories and let you do your own thing on the road, while traditional reading offers a more personal experience. However, let’s focus on the main options you can find:
- Audible: The first thing that probably pops into our heads is Amazon’s audiobook service. You can buy or subscribe, then listen or read right on your phone.
- Libby: You can use this free app from your library. You borrow audiobooks or eBooks digitally and listen whenever you want.
- Library CDs: Old-school, but you can still pop them in a CD player or flashcard.
- Apps: Tons of options here. You can just check a list of audiobook apps on the online market stream and choose whatever suits your needs.
- Spotify and YouTube: You can even find some audiobooks or story recordings for free if you just dig around.
- Headway: It is quick, bite-sized non-fiction you can listen to fast, especially if your road trip is short.
- Pro Tip: Do not forget to download your audiobooks before hitting the road.
Why Listen to Audiobooks on a Family Road Trip?
First of all, audiobooks are really about holding on to the good parts, like those conversations sparked by a book you listened to in the car, laughing at the same moments, and learning little things together. Second, those are the things that actually stick in your memory. Children usually hold onto the best moments, and honestly, road trips end up being the most memorable gift you can give to them.
You build memories and shared experiences that stick way longer. You can also consider alternating audiobooks with the best road trip podcasts[1] designed for families. This could be educational content about your destinations. The podcasts can become part of the stories you tell for years. They can help make conversations deeper, and doing something together creates better connections.
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