A few years ago, I went on a little road trip with my two girls. Just me and my gals. It was about a six-hour drive. I’m the kind of person that easily falls asleep in a moving car, so I was worried I would get sleepy driving. I decided if someone to talked to me, I would be able to stay awake! I went to the library and borrowed a few kid-friendly audiobooks with the hope that they would be interesting enough for me to stay awake on my long drive.
And Guess What?
At one point on our drive, I turned off “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” My sweet little six year old shouted from the backseat, “But mom, what happened to Dumbledore’s hand?”
Say what?!
She was listening to the story this entire time?! Sold. Audiobooks all day! Or at least on road trips.
Searching for good audiobooks can be a challenge. The book itself may be wonderful, but if the reader’s voice doesn’t fit with the story, it may not resonate with you or your kids. Here are a few audiobooks my family loves and has listened to many times! I hope this list helps you when you are searching for road trip audiobooks this summer!
Audiobooks I Recommend:
- ECHO by Pam Munoz Ryan
My recommended age: 8+
Music is a big theme in this book, and it plays throughout the audiobook, creating a completely different experience than it would if you had just read the book yourself. - PAX by Sara Pennypacker
My recommended age: 6+
Sara Pennypacker did a wonderful job grabbing the thoughts and feelings of foxes in the wild. It’s a great listen for a kid who is interested in seeing the world from an animal’s point of view. - JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH by Roald Dahl
My recommended age: 6+
My girls laugh at this book every time we listen to it. They think Centipede is the funniest character. - THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON by Kelly Barnhill
My recommended age: 10+
If you’re looking for a magical listen, this is the one. - THE MAGIC TREE HOUSE by Mary Pope Osborn
My recommended age: 4+
These are very short audiobooks, but my girls loved them. The author is the reader, and she does a great job with voices! - HARRY POTTER series by JK Rowling
My recommended age: 6+
Jim Dale (US version) and Stephen Fry (UK version) both do the most awesome job with voices for each character. It’s quite the treat to listen to an entire book. - AMALEE by Dar Williams
My recommended age: 5+
I may be partial to this book because my daughter has the same name. And when the book ended, said five year old asked, “Can we listen to it again?”
So what happened to Dumbledore’s hand? I’m not telling. Best of luck to you in your audiobook searches. Happy listening!
