Educational ideas for teachers, homeschoolers, and parents.

Here are the 99+ most fantastic audiobooks home & classroom

//  by //  Leave a Comment

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or homeschooler, this audiobook list is perfect for road trips, classrooms, or just for fun at home.

Family-Friendly Audiobooks: Table Of Contents
  1. How to listen to audiobooks
  2. Individual audiobooks every child should listen to!
  3. The Giver
  4. Island of the Blue Dolphins
  5. See You in the Cosmos
  6. When the Sea Turned to Silver
  7. The Boy Who Grew Dragons
  8. Chocolate Factory Ghost
  9. Lulu the Broadway Mouse
  10. The Girl, the Cat, & the Navigator
  11. Flora and Ulysses
  12. Have sword, will travel
  13. The Cricket in Times Square
  14. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
  15. Nuts to You
  16. Hello, Universe
  17. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
  18. Complete Audiobook Series that kids and adults will love
  19. The Boxcar Children Series
  20. Hank the Cowdog Series
  21. The Green Ember Series
  22. The Ramona Collection by Beverly Cleary
  23. The Henry Huggins Collection by Beverly Cleary
  24. Geronimo Stilton
  25. Flat Stanley Audio Collection
  26. The Best Audiobooks that also have a movie to watch after reading
  27. Princess Bride
  28. Mary Poppins
  29. Where the Red Fern Grows
  30. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  31. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  32. Little House in the Big Woods + Series
  33. Coco: A Story About Music, Shoes, and Family
  34. The Mouse and the Motorcycle + Series
  35. The Hobbit
  36. The Chronicles of Narnia
  37. Mr. Popper’s Penguins
  38. A Wrinkle in Time
  39. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  40. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
  41. Matilda
  42. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
  43. Because of Winn Dixie
  44. Charlotte’s Web
  45. Collected Stories of Winnie The Pooh
  46. How to Train Your Dragon
  47. Aladdin
  48. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series
  49. The Adventures of Captain Underpants
  50. The BFG
  51. Holes
  52. Indian in the Cupboard
  53. Stuart Little
  54. Peter Pan
  55. Paddington Bear Series
  56. Harry Potter
  57. Moana
  58. Historical and Educational Audiobooks
  59. American Tall Tales 
  60. Rush Revere Series 
  61. Jean Fritz Histories
  62. Greathall Productions with Jim Weiss
  63. The Magic Treehouse Series
  64. More Resources

How to listen to audiobooks

Where to find audiobooks for your family or classroom

Some, but not all of the links below are affiliate links. Tis means we may earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Amazon – try a free 30-day trial on Audible
  • ThriftBooks.com
  • Hoopla – we get a few free from our local library + we have a plan for fifty per month
  • Overdrive – we also get some free books via our library
  • Your Local Library – a bit redundant here, but maybe yours has other options.
  • eBay – a great place to buy playaways and CDs

Which format of audiobook is best?

This obviously depends on your needs. Our van, for instance only has a CD player. But it does have a 6 disc changer which means we can load all 6 CDs of the Boxcar Children and never have to wait or reload. That’s awesome.

Digital audiobooks have obviously become very popular because of their immediate availability. The downside, however, is needing a device that will play them. With 4 young kids, this is less than ideals because we don’t want them to have access to all the other things that kindles, iPads, and electronic devices can offer… even if there are parental controls.

The most versatile and our favorite though? Playaway audiobooks.

They can go with us anywhere, including just in the house. Instead of headphone, we bought a small speaker that plugs into the headphone jack and can be recharged after about 16 hours of listening time.

If you have an old-school CD player like a CD walkman, the speaker option is also a really nice tool you can use with those as well.

Individual audiobooks every child should listen to!

A few notes:

  1. This list has approximately 75 to 83 entries. While we don’t expect you to count them, in case you do we want to explain that we are not being deceptive with our title of 99+ books. The 99 books include titles that are a part of a series, but to save both our time and your time, we have simply added whole series as one entry. In fact, there are HUNDREDS of books if you include every book from every series.
  2. Please understand some books go in multiple categories, but we tried to split them up in a way that best suits them. For instance, some series are included in our books that have a major motion picture to watch after reading! Those included in this sub-list do not have movies or TV shows to accompany them
  3. If you have a great audiobook your whole family loved, please feel free to comment or contact us at checkmate@boardgamesforlearning.com so we can consider adding it to our list.
  4. All “Find on Amazon” buttons are affiliate links meaning we earn from qualifying purchases if you buy anything after clicking through from our site. They will appear at the end of the book description.

The Giver

This books was a favorite of mine even in middle school and is a Newbery Medal winner. It’s definitely more of an analytical book but can still be enjoyed by younger kids.

The Giver

Island of the Blue Dolphins

I think I read this book 4 or 5 times as a child. It has a fierce girl who must fight for survival while she waits to be rescued. Perfect for every family as it’s a timeless book that has won multiple awards!

Island of the Blue Dolphins

See You in the Cosmos

Perfect for kids who love outer space as well as his family. a heartwarming and wonderful book full of life lessons that is great for so many ages and that even parents will love listening to!

See You in the Cosmos

When the Sea Turned to Silver

A story about a kidnapped storyteller. It’s an adventure to find the main character’s grandmother and even has a couple of other companion books if it draws you in!

When the Sea Turned to Silver

The Boy Who Grew Dragons

A book that is creative and sure to cause lots of laughter! There’s also a second and third book to follow this one.

The Boy Who Grew Dragons

Chocolate Factory Ghost

A Mystery book for the family to enjoy – has treats, sweets, and weird creatures.

Chocolate Factory Ghost

Lulu the Broadway Mouse

A book about big dreams and a friendship between a mouse and a human girl. A lovely story about never giving up hope!

Lulu the Broadway Mouse

The Girl, the Cat, & the Navigator

A true book of storytelling and the magic of the open sea. In my opinion, all books that display the true art of storytelling are some of the very best to listen to.

The Girl, the Cat, & the Navigator

Flora and Ulysses

I personally did not like this book. BUT I know a lot of people do and can see how it could be entertaining for many. Basically it’s a superhero book that breaks the mold, this can be an exciting read for multiple age ranges.

Flora and Ulysses

Have sword, will travel

Stumbling upon a sword outside their village, the main characters discover it starts to talk and soon find themselves on a quest of their own!

Have sword, will travel

The Cricket in Times Square

Tony Shalhoub is the narrator of this wonderful tale. It has a great dynamic to the story and reinforces friendship for kids.

The Cricket in Times Square

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

While it’s very short compared to almost everything else on the list, this is a fun book to add to your nighttime routine.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

Nuts to You

A silly story about squirrels as friend as they’re escaping humans cutting down their trees. It’s a random title we picked up because we were studying seeds at the time and it was surprisingly a hit.

Nuts to You

Hello, Universe

You know it’s good when it wins a Newbery Medal. This novel is about unexpected friendships and told from 4 different viewpoints… which is what makes it even more interesting, especially as an audiobook!

Hello, Universe

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

The best audiobooks are the ones read by the actual author. And this one fits the bill. It’s such a fun title for more than just fourth graders!

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Complete Audiobook Series that kids and adults will love

We love to get completely engulfed in a good book series whether just for fun or on a family road trip. It’s the best way to make sure our family stays focused pursing literary interests instead of non-academic screen time. We will binge books for hours and days by getting an entire book series on CD or downloading every digital copy available.

The Boxcar Children Series

This was one of the first series we did because I vividly remember loving them as a child. Jenn, my oldest has exclaimed they’re her favorite multiple times. The first three are by the original Author, but all are such great stories.

The Boxcar Children Series

Hank the Cowdog Series

I actually vividly remember my brother reading and absolutely adoring these books growing up. Now, they’re a funny and wonderful series to let the entire family, including toddlers enjoy.

Hank the Cowdog Series

The Green Ember Series

Who would ever think tat some rabbits could be a part of an epic story? This is a surprisingly good series full of adventures and misadventures. It’s a well-written and compelling story that some say rivals stories from the Shire or Narnia.

The Green Ember Series

The Ramona Collection by Beverly Cleary

Originally written in the fifties, it’s still such a great set of books and such a fantastic story, especially for girls. It all starts with Beezus and Ramona and there are 9 great titles to dive into!

The Ramona Collection by Beverly Cleary

The Henry Huggins Collection by Beverly Cleary

The predecessor to Ramona, this series is more geared toward boys and takes place in the same neighborhood. So all together if you want to go through both collections, it’s a full 15 books!

The Henry Huggins Collection by Beverly Cleary

Geronimo Stilton

This series was actually introduced to us because we were trying to find a book relating to some place we were visiting on vacation… and we really liked them!

Geronimo Stilton

Flat Stanley Audio Collection

We use these as filler stories. If we’re not studying something in particular or in a set series of books, we listen to these or something like them.

Flat Stanley Audio Collection

Going on a family road trip? Check out this list of car games that don’t require any supplies!

The Best Audiobooks that also have a movie to watch after reading

Princess Bride

Who doesn’t love the film Princess Bride? BUT I feel like so few have read the story. And what a fun adventure to share with the kids! WIth all the over-the-top awesomeness, it’s a fun audiobook.

Princess Bride

Mary Poppins

I’m pretty sure my 6 year old has been singing Mary Poppins songs for months now. But there is something so magical about these stories that can appeal to a range of ages!

Mary Poppins

Where the Red Fern Grows

Growing up in Oklahoma, this is a novel every student reads in elementary school. And I vividly remember my 2nd grade teacher reading it aloud to us. We haven’t gotten to it yet as a family, but am looking forward to it despite knowing that it’s a brilliant story it elicits some really emotional responses.

Where the Red Fern Grows

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

I am sure we all know this story and even have vivid memories of seeing it on a screen or in a live show, but to listen to this magical books is amazing!

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Absolutely a classic book and movie to enjoy as a family and usually pretty inexpensive as a digital copy online! In fact at the time of publishing this list it’s under $1.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Little House in the Big Woods + Series

This is near the top of the list of favorites for our family because of the ability to really dive into both a long series of 9 books and also be able to be invested in watching the TV series streaming online. While we don’t love being plugged in all the time, it’s nice to have a solid and wholesome story to turn to when we do.

Little House in the Big Woods + Series

Coco: A Story About Music, Shoes, and Family

We found the movie to be a beautiful, cultural story. So this novelization of the film is a must for those of you that enjoyed the movie! They, of course, also have a Spanish version.

Coco: A Story About Music, Shoes, and Family

The Mouse and the Motorcycle + Series

Beverly Cleary’s stories are perfection and I remember loving both the Ralph S. Mouse books as well as the Mouse and the Motorcycle movie when I was younger. There are 3 titles in the series.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle + Series

The Hobbit

What a fantastic adventure and epic story! We personally believe the book is wonderful to read as a family, but that the movie would probably be a more cautious watch. Regardless, we put it in this category since a movie is still available.

The Hobbit

The Chronicles of Narnia

No ebook or audiobook list would be complete without the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and other C.S. Lewis titles. They’re a fanciful series and with well-done modern movies for older kids, it’s a natural choice!

The Chronicles of Narnia

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

This classic tale from the thirties is a perfect read before watching the modern movie!

Mr. Popper's Penguins

A Wrinkle in Time

With a lot of movie options including one from 2018, this audiobook is a fun read-first-then-watch title. A family favorite sine winning the Newberry award in 1963, don’t miss this audio book selection! There are also other books in this series.

A Wrinkle in Time

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

This is such a great title for any age. We started it when my kids were 2, 4, and 6.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Because it’s a continuation of Charlie and the Chocolate factory, it’s a natural second choice!

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Matilda

If you haven’t noticed, Roald Dahl’s books are pretty much an awesome choice if you’re going to listen to a book!

Matilda

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Audiobooks are more fun with lots of onomatopoeia and of course getting to watch Dick Van Dyke in the movie afterwards is the Cherry on top!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Because of Winn Dixie

A heartwarming take of a girl rescuing a dog and finding her own history along the way, this was actually our very first audiobook we finished!

Because of Winn Dixie

Charlotte’s Web

Such a classic story and a lovely audio version for the entire family or classroom to enjoy!

Charlotte's Web

Collected Stories of Winnie The Pooh

First published in 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh has grown up with all of us! What a treasure it is to get to listen to these stories with our children and hear the distinctive voices of characters we’ve grown to love.

Collected Stories of Winnie The Pooh

How to Train Your Dragon

The story of a boy who has to catch and rain a dragon in order to pass an initiation test… it’s a thrilling adventure to both listen to and watch.

How to Train Your Dragon

Aladdin

There are actually a lot of version of Aladdin from classic to a Novelization of the animated movie. Any will do and it’s a wonderful fantasy to listen to.

Aladdin

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series

We actually found a huge haul of these at our local thrift store. It’s such an easy series to get sucked into as a child because it crosses many ages, but especially the tween crowd. There’s a lot of humor and can be a fun series to use in a fifth grade classroom or with your older elementary kids on a road trip. And there are a LOT of books in the series!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Ok, I admit, not everyone in the family might enjoy these titles. But if it gets kids reading or interested in consuming more than just screens, it’s a win and so many children love the humor in them.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

The BFG

Because of all of the nonsensical words and fun noisy in this book it is a must-read in terms of audiobook!

The BFG

Holes

While we didn’t personally listen to the audiobook, this was the first book we read with intention of watching the movie after finishing. And every time I read the book, I appreciate it more and more.

Holes

Indian in the Cupboard

Remember this old book and movie? Did you know it’s a whole series? We have the books themselves, but we’re excited to dive into the audio book versions and listen to toys come to life into an epic Wild West adventure.

Indian in the Cupboard

Stuart Little

From the same author as Charlotte’s Web, this book is a classic worth listening to because E.B. White wrote with such clarity and imagination. We had so many giggles reading it!

Stuart Little

Peter Pan

I am not sure I ever heard the story of Peter Pan except through the lens of the Disney film. So this was a book I added to our list early on as a must-read.

Peter Pan

Paddington Bear Series

The original, Paddington Abroad, and at least 5 others including early reader options are available on Amazon. With the new movies out, these are great stories to listen to before watching the film.

Paddington Bear Series

Harry Potter

We actually haven’t started them yet without our children, but the age range is up to you. So many friends have even at 5 or 6, but we’re personally waiting.

Harry Potter

Moana

This includes folktales throughout and is something that even older kids will absolutely be interested in and not just the young kids familiar with the movie!

Moana

Historical and Educational Audiobooks

Because we sometimes take our homeschool on the road or because we want to spice up something we’re learning about, these are fantastic educational audiobooks the whole family can truly enjoy.

American Tall Tales 

By the same author as The Magic Treehouse series, these are retellings and adaptations of American Tall Tales. I cannot tell you just how much we loved them! Every one had a historical introduction and then a fabulously told audio version of the story.

American Tall Tales 

Rush Revere Series 

If you’re studying the American Revolution time period, these are a great listen and are narrated by Rush Limbaugh! There are 5 audiobooks currently available.

Rush Revere Series 

Jean Fritz Histories

These are very cute stories, many from around the American Revolution and Constitutional periods and perfect for even the youngest audiences. They typically focus on a particular person like John Hancock or Sam Adams. They do focus on other time period though as well like the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock or explorations of Christopher Columbus. We’re currently listening to “Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider”.

Jean Fritz Histories

Greathall Productions with Jim Weiss

These awesome CDs cover several historical time periods and even some classic stories like Tom Sawyer and Shakespeare.

Greathall Productions with Jim Weiss

The Magic Treehouse Series

We have an assortment of these audiobooks from CD to digital. They are such a perfect length for multiple ages. While they’re fiction, they usually have a great historic subject and while not on audiobook, there are Fact Finders for each topic to dig into more of the history or background of the stories!

The Magic Treehouse Series

More Resources

The research behind reading and board games.
The research behind reading and board games.
Learning Objectives when using My First Bananagrams
Learning Objectives when using My First Bananagrams
Like S.T.E.M.? You'll love the T.H.I.S. model.
Like S.T.E.M.? You’ll love the T.H.I.S. model.

Subscribe & Stay informed

Want news and updated from Board Games for Learning? We will share book lists, games, and play-based learning activities for all ages. Signing up is free and we’ll never send you spam.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *