Are you looking for a thrilling audiobook for a fun road trip? Then you have stumbled upon the right place!
Audiobooks have become a trend for being a fun and creative way of catching up on your favorite book or for reading a popular book from your high school days. It’s an interesting, informative, and quickest way to read a book, especially for those who don’t get a lot of time to read.
However, with so many options to choose from, comes the difficulty of deciding which one is the best! For this reason, we have listed 29 of the all-time best audiobooks for family road trips that will keep you entertained and ensure lifelong learning even on the road.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
On top of our list, we have a treat for all the Porterheads! This is one of the great books on tape for families to enjoy on a road trip, and it is also the first book from the Harry Potter Franchise.
The dark academia audiobook focuses on how Harry gets introduced to who he is and later ends up at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he finds the truth about his parents.
The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates
This is a series of three individual adventurous and humorous stories which all focus on the life of a brave, courageous girl named Hilary Westfield. She wants to become a pirate as she possesses the power and skills; however, the problem is that The Very Nearly Honorable Leagues of Pirates doesn’t take any girl into their gang. In these three parts, we follow Hilary’s journey to become the world-famous pirate.
| Written by | Caroline Carlson |
| Genre | Adventure Fiction
Fantasy
Humor |
| Narrated by | Katherine Kellgren |
| Parts | Magic Marks the Spot
The Terror of the Southlands
The Buccaneers’ Code |
| Total Duration | Seven to eight hours (Each) |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Barnes and Nobles
Overdrive
Chirp |
When Stars Are Scattered
When Star Are Scattered is another great book on tape for a family trip. This book is about two brothers, Hassan and Omar, who live in a refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya.
We get to know how their life is hard, especially for Hassan, as he is nonverbal and requires special care. This story is about family, and friendship even in the most unbearable places, and their overall journey of hope, and heartbreak with a touch of humor.
| Written by | Victoria Jamieson
Omar Mohamed |
| Genre | Children
Autobiographical |
| Narrated by | Sadeeq Ali
Hakeemshady Mohamed
Ifrah Mansour
Barkhad Abdi
Faysal Ahmed
Omar Mohamed
Victoria Jamieson
Jd Jackson
Christine Avila
Bahni Turpin
Dominic Hoffman
Robin Miles |
| Total Duration | 3 hours 42 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Barnes and Noble
Audible
Google Play Books
Audiobooks |
The Hobbit
With 4.3 stars on Goodreads, this is one of the most recommended books if you are into science fiction. This book is written by J. R. R. Tolkien, the famous Lord of the Rings author.
It can be read by people of any age or gender, making it the best audiobook for family road trips. The story is about a hobbit, Bilbo Baggins who likes his peace, however, he is dragged into an adventure with dwarfs and Gandalf who is a wizard.
| Written by | J. R. R. Tolkien |
| Genre | Fantasy
Fiction
Adventure
Science Fiction Fantasy
Young Adult |
| Narrated by | Rob Inglis (Audible, Kindle, and Audiobooks)
Andy Serkis (Barnes and Noble) |
| Total Duration | 11 hours 5 mins (Audible, Kindle, and Audiobooks)
10 hours 25 mins (Barnes and Noble) |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Kindle
Barnes and Noble
Audiobooks |
Salt to the Sea
Salt to the Sea is another good audiobook for a family road trip that focuses on the greatest tragedy in the history of the Maritimes. This incident dates back to January 1945, when a history of the German cruise line sank by one of the Soviet submarines in the Baltic Sea.
The cruise was a ferry that was carrying refugees and wartime personnel towards safety. Ruta tells this story through the fictional characters, Joana, Florial, Emilia, and Albert.
| Written by | Ruta Sepetys |
| Genre | Historical fiction
Young adult literature |
| Narrated by | Jorjeana Marie
Will Damron
Cassandra Morris
Michael Crouch |
| Total Duration | 8 hours 48 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audiobooks
Google Play Books |
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery
Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery is part of a trilogy that centers around a vampire bunny, Bunnicula. The story starts with the already domesticated animals of the Monroe household, Harold the dog, and Chester the cat, feeling that there’s a bad vibe with the newly added member, Bunnicula.
This is because this new bunny has fangs, along with very unusual looks and habits. The audiobook is a perfect blend of humor with mystery and horror.
The Flying Flamingo Sisters
The Flying Flamingo Sisters is another extraordinary family road trip audiobook that helps make your traveling thrilling, entertaining, and overall exciting. In this, the three sisters, Fay, Flo, and Franny execute a plan to get separated from their evil uncle, after their parents and puppy mysteriously disappear over the Pacific Ocean.
Upon escaping, the sisters become a well-known sensation for performing various circus gigs. However, later they get to know about some mysterious map.
| Written by | Carrie Seim |
| Genre | Adventure fiction
Children’s literature |
| Narrated by | Gabriel Vaughan
Bill Andrew Quinn
Jessica Almasy
Carrie Seim
Kevin Pariseau
Dina Pearlman
Khristine Hvam |
| Total Duration | 2 hours 13 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Amazon |
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
This audiobook is one of the great books on tape for families with younger children. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is a fictional character who smells like cookies and lives in a beautiful house with Patsy, Hubert, and Allen.
She knows how to handle everything in the household, and the remedies to cure the three children. The relevant topics and storyline make the listeners observe and realize how they have been making mistakes, and the steps to fix their issues.
| Written by | Betty MacDonald |
| Genre | Fiction
Classics
Children
Humor |
| Narrated by | Karen White |
| Total Duration | 2 hours 41 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audiobooks
OverDrive |
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland focuses on Alice, a classed audiobook to listen to on family trips. It begins with Alice reading a book drowsily over her sister’s shoulder when she gets a sight of a white rabbit wearing a coat, with a pocket watch, that jumps into a rabbit hole.
Upon curiosity, Alice jumps behind the rabbit into the hole and gets into a hallway with a bunch of doors. This further allows her to meet various unusual creatures.
| Written by | Lewis Carroll |
| Genre | Children’s Literature
Fantasy Fiction
Fantastique |
| Narrated by | Elizabeth Anne Harris (Audible)
Jack De Golia (Audiobooks, and Google Play Books)
LibriVox Community (Barnes and Noble) |
| Total Duration | 3 hours 17 mins (Audible)
2 hours 37 mins (Audiobooks and Google Play Books)
2 hours 58 mins (Barnes and Noble) |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Google Play Books
Barnes and Noble
Audiobooks |
The Henry Huggins Audio Collection
This audiobook consists of the famous six books of the series, Henry Huggins, Henry and Beezus, Henry and Ribsy, Henry and the Paper Route, Henry and the Clubhouse, and Ribsy.
All of these books focus on Henry’s relationships, whether they are with his parents, Ribsy, Beezus, and all the other kids in his locality. With every passing second, you realize how well Henry’s character is enhanced along with his relationships with everyone.
| Written by | Beverly Cleary
Tracy Dockray |
| Genre | Fiction
Classics
Humor |
| Narrated by | Neil Patrick Harris
William Roberts |
| Total Duration | 15 hours 26 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Kindle
Google Play Books |
Matilda
Matilda is an all-time classic by the famous author, Roald Dahl. Dahl has also produced the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, etc. This story is no less than a masterpiece, it is about a little girl Matilda who is too smart, liked by everyone, and very mature for her age.
However, everything isn’t the best in the life of Matilda, like her parents who only care about themselves. This story is about how despite all the odds, Matilda stays optimistic.
| Written by | Roald Dahl |
| Genre | Fantasy fiction
Humor
Classics
Fantasy
Children’s literature |
| Narrated by | Daisy Ridley |
| Total Duration | 4 hours 9 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audiobooks
Google Play Books |
Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From
This is an exceptionally written fiction book that centers on the life of a fifteen-year-old, Liliana Cruz. Liliana is a first-generation American Latin, who has just started this new school, Westburg which is an all-white school.
Being a minority in the school is difficult, especially when there are various issues at home with her mother, brothers, and a father who keeps going on trips. Later, she realizes the truth, the thing is how will she react and handle it?
| Written by | Jennifer De Leon |
| Genre | Young Adult
Contemporary
Realistic Fiction
Social Justice |
| Narrated by | Inés del Castillo |
| Total Duration | 8 hours 33 minutes |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Amazon
Audiobook Store |
The Lightning Thief
If you are into books that will make you go “Oh my god!”, then The Lightning Thief is the one for you! This book is about a high school boy, Percy Jackson, who is 12 years old and isn’t aware of a big fact about himself.
One day at school, sudden changes of events lead to Percy’s math teacher turning into a monster and attacking him. This further makes Percy realize that he is a demigod.
| Written by | Rick Riordan |
| Genre | Greek mythology
Young adult literature
High fantasy
Fantasy fiction |
| Narrated by | Jesse Bernstein |
| Total Duration | 10 hours and 2 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audiobooks
Google Play Books |
Ways to Make Sunshine
Ryan Hart is a definition of a sunflower, she is optimistic, energetic, and witty. She likes to invent new recipes and spend quality time with her friends, however, she has plenty of things on her mind regarding family, self-image, school, etc.
This is further affected by the lack of attention she gets from her parents or siblings. But despite all the issues in her life, she fights and navigates through everything with a positive attitude.
| Written by | Renée Watson |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Narrated by | Sisi Aisha Johnson |
| Total Duration | 2 hours 51 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Amazon |
The Hunger Games: Special Edition
This is the special edition audiobook of the wildly successful movie The Hunger Games, written by the author Suzanne Collins. The story centers around a place in North America called the Panem, which is surrounded by twelve districts.
Each of these districts participates in the annual Hunger Games, by choosing one member from each district. These 12 people participate in the survival game, and soon we meet Katniss Everdeen, who sacrifices her life to save her sister.
| Written by | Suzanne Collins |
| Genre | Thriller
Adventure fiction
Science fiction
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Dystopian fiction
Alternate history |
| Narrated by | Tatiana Maslany |
| Total Duration | 10 hours 35 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audiobooks
Google Play Books |
Esperanza Rising
Esperanza Rising is an exceptionally written story, which makes it an amazing pick and one of the best audiobooks for family road trips. This story is about Esperanza, who was living her best life with her family on their ranch in Mexico, with servants and fancy dresses.
However, her perfect life is disrupted by a sudden tragedy that forces Esperanza and her mother to go to California and live in a camp with fellow Mexican workers.
| Written by | Pam Muñoz Ryan |
| Genre | Historical Fiction
Tragedy
Biography |
| Narrated by | Trini Alvarado |
| Total Duration | 4 hours 42 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Amazon
Audible
Audiobooks |
The Penderwicks in Spring
The Penderwicks in Spring is the fourth book in The Penderwicks series. This is a classic book by the New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award winner, Jeanne Birdsall.
It makes a good audiobook for a family road trip, as it focuses on the springtime, when people are returning from a war. Other than this, the book shows the natural law of the universe, that things happen the way they are planned, not how you plan them.
| Written by | Jeanne Birdsall |
| Genre | Fiction
Humor |
| Narrated by | Susan Denaker |
| Total Duration | 9 hours 43 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audiobooks
Amazon |
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Are you someone who is curious and wants to know every single thing about the universe and history? Then this is a great audiobook for you and your family to enjoy while getting to your destination.
In this, the writer describes himself as a traveler, someone who cannot contain his curiosity about things even when he’s safe at home. This book is his mission to search about everything from what happened during Big Bang, to how the civilizations were formed.
Savvy
Another great book on tape for family road trips or bedtime is Savvy, this is a story about the Beaumont family that for generations has a magical secret. The secret is that every member of the family possesses a unique supernatural power when they turn thirteen.
Mib cannot wait to know her superpower, however, on her eve the family gets the news that her father is very sick and hospitalized. The story is about the courage and mistakes of a young girl.
The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man
The story begins with Allan and Julius and their hot air balloon trip, along with multiple bottles of champagne. However, things didn’t go as planned, as instead of beautiful views, they ended up in the sea, only to be rescued by a North Korean ship.
And when you think that is the worst thing, no! The captain of the ship has a suitcase full of nuclear weapons and uranium contraband on behalf of Kim Jong-un.
| Written by | Jonas Jonasson
Rachel Willson-Broyles (Translator) |
| Genre | Humor
Fiction
Contemporary
Adventure
Comedy |
| Narrated by | Peter Kenny |
| Total Duration | 10 hours 18 min |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audibooks.com
Google Play Books
Amazon |
Glitch
Glitch by Laura Martin makes up one of the most entertaining, which makes it the best audiobook for road trips with family. The story is about two training-to-be Glitchers, Regan Fitz and Eliot Mason, who dislike one another because they both find the other insufferable.
However, when they find a letter written by their future selves warning them about certain consequences, they must put their differences aside, and work to save everyone from the unknown threat.
| Written by | Laura Martin |
| Genre | Romance
Children
Contempory
Science fiction |
| Narrated by | Tara Sands
Ramon de Ocampo |
| Total Duration | 8 hours 23 min |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audibooks
Google Play Books
Amazon |
The Candy Shop War
Another great family road trip audiobook is The Candy Shop War, which is a magical candy shop owned by Mrs. Belinda White. The confections she makes are mystical in a way that they can even give animals the power to talk or even have the intelligence of a human.
Mrs. White wants to get information about a hidden talisman under Mt. Diablo Elementary School, so she invited four friends, Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon for a special mission.
| Written by | Brandon Mull |
| Genre | Children’s Literature
Fantasy
Fiction
Adventure Fiction |
| Narrated by | Emily Janice Card |
| Total Duration | 10 hours 26 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Amazon |
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescues of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team
If you are into stories about real-life incidents, then this audiobook can be one of the best audiobooks for your family road trips. The story dates back to June 2018. When 12 young Wild Boars soccer team players, along with their coach, went missing in a Northern Thailand cave.
In this book, the author interviews the rescue team to answer what the world was thinking, how a group of young people survived 17 days without food or fresh water.
| Written by | Christina Soontornvat |
| Genre | Adventure
Survival
History
Non-Fiction |
| Narrated by | Quincy Surasmith
Christina Soontornvat |
| Total Duration | 4 hours 4 minutes |
| Platforms it’s available on | Amazon
Audible |
Brown Girl Dreaming
This audiobook consists of multiple poems that are written by author, Jacqueline Woodson, describing what it was like being raised in New York and Ohio, South Carolina as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s. Through these heart-touching poems, she describes her journey of finding her place in the world.
Further, she talks about the ways she became aware of the Civil Rights Movement. This is a great book on tape for families who want to develop a sense of empathy in their kids.
| Written by | Jacqueline Woodson |
| Genre | Poetry
Autobiography
Biography
Children’s literature |
| Narrated by | Jacqueline Woodson |
| Total Duration | 3 hours 55 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audiobooks
Google Play Books
Amazon |
Rivals 2! More Frenemies Who Changed the World
This audiobook is exclusively made for Audible, and is a sequel to the famous “Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World”. The story focuses on the rivalry between Tesla and Edison that will switch the course of electricity, and how the sports fan will topple the Roman Empire.
If you are into stories that have death beams, flaming costumes, chariot races, and party fleas, then this is a good audiobook for your family trips, that will make you laugh.
| Written by | Scott McCormick |
| Genre | Non-fiction
Middle Grace
Humor
Historical |
| Narrated by | Bill Andrew Quinn
Raphael Corkhill
Sean Patrick Hopkins
Flynn Earl Jones
Khristine Hvam
Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Lauren Fortgang
Kevin T. Collins
Elizabeth Evans
Gabriel Vaughan
Ramon De Ocampo
Marc Vietor
Josh Hurley
Ron Butler |
| Total Duration | 2 hours 14 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Amazon |
Ms. Rapscott’s Girls
Ms. Raspscott’s Girls is the best audiobook for family road trips, especially if you have toddlers, as the story teaches various life lessons about adventure, courage, friendship, etc. The plot is centered around Ms. Rapscott who is the headmistress of Great Rapscott School which is inside a lighthouse.
It is a school for the daughters of busy parents and works on the motto “Adventure is worthwhile in itself”. Further, the headmistress makes it her mission to add an element of adventure to her student’s lives.
| Written by | Elise Primavera
Katherine Kellgren |
| Genre | Adventure
Fantasy
Middle Grade
Children
Fiction |
| Narrated by | Katherine Kellgren |
| Total Duration | 3 hours 4 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Audibooks
Google Play Books
Amazon |
The Chronicles of Narnia (Complete)
Written by the famous author C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia is a masterpiece of mystical creatures and land. It consists of seven individual titles, such as 1. Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950), 2. Prince Caspian (1951), 3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952), 4. The Silver Chair (1953), 5. The Horse and 6. His Boy (1954), 7. The Magician’s Nephew (1955) and 8. The Last Battle (1956).
This makes a great audiobook for a long road trip journey with family and friends.
| Written by | C. S. Lewis |
| Genre | Fantasy
Classics
Young Adult
Fiction |
| Narrated by | Kenneth Branagh
Alex Jennings
Michael York
Lynn Redgrave
Derek Jacobi
Jeremy Northam
Patrick Stewart |
| Total Duration | 33 hours 45 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Chirp
Amazon
Audiobooks |
Holes
Holes is a beautifully written story about Stanley Yelnats, who has a curse in his family that started with his grandfather. This curse has forced Stanley into a boy’s detention center called Camp Green Lake, where young boys are forced to build character by digging holes 5 feet wide and deep.
However, after a while, Stanley realizes that the warden is up to something, and has ulterior motives for digging holes. This discovery initiates the boy’s search for truth.
The Thief Lord
Last on our list is The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, which makes its place in the best family audiobooks for road trip’s genre. The story centers on the lives of two orphaned boys who are running away from their past, and staying in the alleyways and canals amongst the city of Venice.
Soon, they become acquainted with a gang of street children who take shelter in the abandoned cinema hall. However, there is a detective after the boys who will go to any extent to find them.
| Written by | Cornelia Funke |
| Genre | Fantasy
Young adult
Fiction
Mystery
Adventure |
| Narrated by | Simon Jones |
| Total Duration | 8 hours 30 mins |
| Platforms it’s available on | Audible
Apple Books
Amazon
Audiobooks |
These were our top picks of the best audiobooks for family road trips, along with the most recommended platforms to listen to them. Feel free to go through the post again to choose an audiobook for your trip. Also check out our guide on how to share audiobooks with your friends and family.
Wrapping Up
Tuning into audiobooks when you are traveling with family can be very helpful as it allows you to pass your time entertainingly, build literacy skills, and provide you with a topic of discussion. While ensuring that the driver does not fall asleep, making it a win-win situation for all.
Happy listening! 🎧📚
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Frequently Asked Question
Ans: Yes, it is okay to listen to audiobooks while you are driving. However, it mostly depends on the person driving about whether they are easily distracted or not.
Ans: This depends on the platform you are renting, or purchasing your audiobooks. Luckily, most platforms do have an active family plan which works like when you buy a subscription, the purchase means the audiobook is available for everyone in your account.
Ans: Yes! It’s much better than the traditional practice of reading to your kids. When they listen to audiobooks they enhance major literacy skills and overall develop a long-term interest in reading.
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