Whether you’re going across town or across the country, audiobooks can help alleviate the boredom of being in a car too long.

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According to one source, almost 39% of adults in the US plan to take a road trip of more than 250 miles in the Summer of 2023. If you’ve ever been on a road trip with your kids, you know that they can get antsy pretty soon after hitting the road, which can make the following hours challenging, to say the least.

Parents need a good strategy for keeping everyone happy on a family road trip to prevent it from becoming a doomed voyage. Listening to audiobooks that both kids and adults enjoy is a great way to alleviate tedium and, best of all, create a shared family experience when played out loud.

What follows is a curated list of road trip audiobooks everyone can enjoy. For each audiobook, I’ve included name, author, summary, length, and the minimum age the book is appropriate for. Please note that the minimum suggested ages are difficult to find for audio books. Some of the recommended ages may be related to reading levels rather than “listening levels.” Amazon links have been included so that parents can do additional research.

Let’s get started first with audiobook versions of children’s classics, followed by newer kids’ books. Although these books are written and recorded for children, I chose them because family members of all ages should enjoy them.

Audiobooks of children’s classics

These selections will provide grownups with a nostalgic trip down memory lane and introduce kids to some favorite childhood stories.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

Length: 4 hours, 12 minutes

Ages: 7+

Kicking off this list of books to listen to on road trips is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Although it’s the second book in C. S. Lewis’s beloved Chronicles of Narnia series, it’s a good one to introduce your kids to this magical world. Kids will delight in the adventures of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie as they step through the wardrobe into the land of Narnia.

The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl

Length: 4 hours, 25 minutes

Ages: 7+

Sophie is lucky that the giant who carried her off in the middle of the night is warm and jumbly, rather than scary and hungry for children. And when she hears of a nefarious plot being hatched by the frightening kind of giants, she enlists the BFG to help her stop it. Full of inventive words made up by author Roald Dahl, The BFG is sure to make everyone in the car giggle!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Length: 3 hours, 18 minutes

Ages: 6+

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is another audio book by Roald Dahl that everyone in the car can enjoy. Follow the adventures of Charlie Bucket as he tours Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory, a place full of Oompa-Loompas and a chocolate river. Will Charlie make it all the way through, or suffer a strange fate like his other tour companions?

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

Length: 10 hours, 25 minutes

Ages: 10+

Full of dragons, gold, an unlikely hero, and an epic battle of good against evil, The Hobbit has been captivating readers of all ages for decades. A fantasy this good and that’s stood the test of time is a perfect audiobook for a family road trip.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

Length: 2 hours, 17 minutes

Ages: 5+

It’s hard to go wrong with Beverly Cleary when you have younger kids in the car. The Mouse and the Motorcycle follows Ralph the mouse’s adventures on a toy motorcycle. And at just over two hours, it’s a great choice for shorter attention spans.

Stuart Little by E. B. White

Length: 1 hour, 54 minutes

Ages: 5+

Stuart Little is another children’s classic starring a mouse, and also appropriate for younger kids. Stuart the mouse has big goals for his life, but first he wants to find a little bird he befriended.  The whole family will enjoy Stuart’s adventures as he sets off in his miniature toy car.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Length: 6 hours, 44 minutes

Ages: 8+

While you’re on your journey, listen to a completely different kind of adventure. Treasure Island has been captivating readers for 140 years. Listen along as young Jim Hawkins embarks on an adventure to find hidden treasure on Treasure Island!

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

Length: 2 hours, 33 minutes

Ages: 8+

Kids with younger siblings will be able to relate to Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. In Peter Hatcher’s eyes, his two-year-old brother, Fudge, is a terror that gets away with everything. When Peter finally has enough, he sets out to get more attention from his parents. Will he succeed? Listen to find out!

The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

Length: 1 hour, 13 minutes

Ages: 6+

The Chocolate Touch is a twist on the King Midas story, and has been regaling kids since 1952. Everything turns to chocolate when touched by young John Midas’s lips. He’s about to find out if it’s possible to get too much of a good thing. This audiobook is appropriate for younger kids in both content and length.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Length: 6 hours, 59 minutes

Ages: 9+

Some of the best road trip audiobooks to listen to are mysteries. A good mystery will engage family members and spark conversation (and maybe a little friendly competition). Here’s the premise of The Westing Game: When wealthy, game-loving Samuel Westing dies, sixteen people gather for the reading of his will. He states in the will that one of the sixteen killed him, and that the person who figures out the identity of the killer will inherit his fortune. Lots of puzzle solving ensues.

Newer children’s books to listen to on car trips

If classic children’s books aren’t your family’s thing (they aren’t for everyone), there are plenty of newer, family-friendly audiobooks to choose from, including the following:

Holes by Louis Sachar

Length: 4 hours, 30 minutes

Ages: 9+

Young Stanley Yelnats is unjustly sent to a juvenile detention center, where he and his fellow inmates spend their days digging holes – each one five feet deep and five feet long. It’s clear the warden is using the boys to search for something, but what is it? The New York Times called Holes, “A smart jigsaw puzzle of a novel.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

Length: 8 hours, 18 minutes

Ages: 7+

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the first book in J. K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter series, and it’s sure to entertain kids on a long car trip. In this novel, Harry learns he’s a wizard and is introduced to the magical world of Hogwarts. If your young travelers enjoy this audiobook, there are plenty more in the series to listen to!

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Crowell

Length: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Ages: 6+

The movie was good, so the book must be even better, right? In How to Train Your Dragon, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III must catch and train a dragon in order to pass his Viking tribe’s initiation test. This one should be great for younger kids, and bonus: it’s part of a series.

The 39 Clues, Book 1: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

Length: 5 hours, 11 minutes

Ages: 8+

The Maze of Bones introduces the premise for The 39 Clues book series. Amy and Dan Cahill unexpectedly learn something that thrusts them into a dangerous race: their family is one of the most powerful in the world, and that power is rooted in 39 clues that are hidden around the globe. There are 12 books in this series for many more hours of listening enjoyment.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Length: 13 hours, 17 minutes

Ages: 9+

“”Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them.” So begins The Mysterious Benedict Society. Sounds like a fun book to listen to on a family road trip!

The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1 by Rick Riordan

Length: 10 hours, 2 minutes

Ages: 9+

The Lightning Thief is the first book in the highly popular Percy Jackson series, and is bound to be a hit with everyone in the car. Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is a busy guy – one of the teachers at his boarding school turned into a monster and tried to kill him, a minotaur chased him to summer camp, and now Zeus (yes, that Zeus) is angry with Percy because he thinks he stole his lightning bolt! Plenty of adventures in this audiobook!

Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen

Length: 15 hours, 7 minutes

Ages: 9+

Harry, who’s mourning the death of his wife, seeks solitude in the mountains of Pennsylvania. There, he meets Oriana and her mother, Amanda. Harry and Oriana bond over a mysterious book and “embark on a golden adventure that will fulfill Oriana’s wild dream—and ultimately open Harry’s heart to new life.” (Source: MCPL). Although Amazon recommends Harry’s Trees for ages 9+, I would suggest that it’s more appropriate for teens due to its focus on recovering from grief.

Check out my review of Harry’s Trees, one of my new favorites!

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: The Wingfeather Saga, Book 1 by Andrew Peterson

Length: 8 hours, 19 minutes

Ages: 8+

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is an epic adventure tale, currently ranked #1 on Amazon’s Best Sellers in Children’s Christian Action & Adventure Fiction list. When the evil Fangs of Dang threaten their peaceful way of life, three young siblings must draw on all their skills and resources to fend them off. “Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is a tale children of all ages will cherish and families can listen to together.” (Source: Amazon)

Spy School: Spy School Series, Book 1 by Stuart Gibbs

Length: 6 hours, 1 minute

Ages: 9+

When middle-schooler Ben Ripley is accepted to an elite, science-focused magnet school, he’s not too surprised. But he’s amazed and delighted to learn that his new school is run by the CIA to train young spies – Ben’s dream job! “And through a series of hilarious misadventures, Ben realizes he might actually be a halfway decent spy…if he can survive all the attempts being made on his life!” (Source: Amazon)

York: The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby

Length: 10 hours, 14 minutes

Ages: 6+

York: The Shadow Cipher is an alternative history adventure “about three kids who try to solve the greatest mystery of the modern world: a puzzle and treasure hunt laid into the very streets and buildings of New York City.” (Source: Amazon). It’s an exciting race against time as our young heroes try to solve the mysterious cipher before it’s too late.

Audiobooks for younger children

As you may have noticed, the above list of family road trip audiobooks is geared towards elementary school kids and older. However, never fear, there are plenty of options for pre-schoolers and kindergarteners. Your best bet is to find a collection of short stories, such as the following:

The Collected Stories of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne

Length: 4 hours, 27 minutes

Kids will enjoy getting to know the residents of the Hundred Acre Forest. Bonus: Judi Dench is one of the narrators!

Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales

Length: 5 hours, 51 minutes

This highly rated audiobook for young children contains 23 classic tales written by Beatrix Potter. Introduce your children to characters such as Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle for hours of entertainment and a more pleasant family car trip.

Frog and Toad Audio Collection by Arnold Lobel

Length: 1 hour, 29 minutes

This audio collection includes four stories about Frog and Toad, “read with humor and charm by award-winning author Arnold Lobel.” (Source: Amazon)

How to access audiobooks for family road trips

There are plenty of options for accessing family friendly audiobooks, and I would recommend loading up your device of choice long before you hit the road.

Amazon Audible subscription

If you don’t already have an Amazon Audible subscription, you might consider getting at least the free month trial for your trip. A Premium Plus Membership includes a credit each month good for purchasing one audiobook, plus access to a large catalog of books you can listen to for free. For example, free children’s audiobooks I came across include The Velveteen Rabbit, The Secret Garden, and Peter Pan.

Public libraries

Public libraries are a terrific source for accessing children’s audiobooks for free. For example, my library (Midcontinent Public Library system) has most of the titles on this list, including Maze of Bones, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and many more!

Tip: Two of the titles I mentioned weren’t available because all the copies were checked out, so visit your library’s online catalog a couple of weeks before your trip and place the popular audiobooks on hold.

Other free ways to access audiobooks

Don’t have a library card? No problem! There are other free online services that offer access to audiobooks for your family road trip, including:

• Digital Book
• StoryNory
• Loyal Books

While these services don’t offer a vast array of choices, I did see titles such as:

• Black Beauty
• A Beatrix Potter collection
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
• The Wizard of Oz
• Pinocchio
• Little Women

Note that these services are able to provide free audio versions of children’s classics that are already in the public domain (i.e., older books and no copyright infringements).

Regardless of where your journey takes you or how long you’ll be in the car, audiobooks are a great way to relieve road trip boredom and create a shared experience with your kids. I hope you found this list of books to listen to during road trips helpful. I sure enjoyed putting it together!

What family friendly audiobooks would you add to this list?

Also, thanks to Michaela for helping with the research!

And while we have road trips on our minds, check out “Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: 60+ Essentials (With a Free Checklist)” on my good friend’s travel blog, Everyday Wanderer. As a mother of four, Sage knows what gear families need to make sure car trips are smooth sailing!