The Best Family Audiobooks for Every Occasion

The Vanderbeekers go on a road trip adventure in this installment of the series. If you’re not familiar with this series, you can still follow the plot if you start with this book. I recommend checking out the entire series, though, if you’re looking for a wholesome family read-aloud. If your kids love The Vanderbeekers, I have a list of readalikes they’ll enjoy, too. Ages 7+

Twelve-year-old Sara Martinez is a hacker bouncing from foster home to foster home in Brooklyn, New York. After getting arrested for hacking into the NYC foster care system to expose her foster parents as criminals, she meets a man named Mother, who is not a lawyer but convinces her to take on her case. Mother somehow wins, and Sara gets released only to join a team of kid spies operating out of a base in Scotland. This is an exciting mystery series that both kids and adults can enjoy. Ages 8+

A heist, a creepy pumpkin maze, and a murderous hen take center stage in this funny, heartfelt adventure tale set in the PNW. Tacoma’s parents have finally allowed her to cook dinner for their breakfast-only truck-stop diner. But on the D-day, she wakes up to her dad in a bad depressive episode and sneaky trucker Kyle provoking her by reminding her he stole her dad’s picture with Bruce Springsteen and Tacoma’s had it. She decides she’ll go and steal back her dad’s picture. There is some info about bullying, bad friends, Tacoma’s anxiety, and her father’s struggle with his mental illness. I really enjoyed this one and blew through it in a couple of hours. Ages 8+

A girl named Coyote, a dad named Rodeo, a boy, a cat, and several other eclectic characters with stories deeper than the surface make up the cast of this heartwarming road trip story. This book is incredible. With one of the most remarkable (no pun intended) protagonists I’ve read in a while, TRJOCS handles dying, grief, and family excellently. It’s one of those books that brings your heart joy even while it’s breaking it. Ages 8+

When Orion Kwirk’s grandfather, Papa Kwirk, dies, his quirky family piles into their car to attend the funeral. But what a shocker when they discover that there’s no body in the casket and Papa Kwirk has left them clues to find his cremated remains. As they embark on the adventure, they learn a lot about each other, their family, and, of course, Papa Kwirk. This is a sweet, funny book with lots of insightful commentary about life, better appreciated by readers ages 9 and up.

Twelve-year-old Jack is a no-stress student who doesn’t believe in working hard at school. He won’t even try hard to learn Spanish, which is his best friend’s first language. It doesn’t help that his school is about to be shut down. But when he eats a bunch of jellybeans created by a scientist and suddenly has a vast store of knowledge at his disposal, he might be able to compete in a contest to put his school on the map and save it from demolition. What he doesn’t know is that there are more sinister forces working against the school. The Smartest Kid in the Universe is a relatable rib-tickling romp combining science, history, friendship, and suspense in an engaging way. 

This classic about a boy who won’t stop calling a pen a frindle is full of hijinks and the audiobook is funny beyond belief. Your kids will ask you to play this story of the boy who kept calling a pen a frindle until you’re sick of it. Such a fun, fun book! Great for introducing kids to chapter books and absolutely delightful! 

Evan Park lives in Vancouver with his sisters and parents. His mom is a SAHM, and his dad works in construction. The book opens with Evan recovering from a wrist injury when his physiotherapist mentions an obstacle course competition. Determined to have a summer of fun and find his own thing despite his overly critical dad, Evan throws himself into preparing for the contest, and soon, his family gets into it, too. I found this one hilarious, especially in its portrayals of Evan’s relationships with his sisters, but also real, as we see his parents squabble over some serious issues. Overall, though, the tone is really entertaining, and readers who like books about sports, contests, and family will LOVE this one.

Andrew is having the WORST day. His shirt’s been torn by his class bully, a basketball has slammed into his face, leaving him with a black eye, and his grandmother with dementia has gone missing — all on his class picture day. It doesn’t help that Andrew has generalized anxiety. In his trademark humor, Harrell takes readers through Andrew’s day with spot illustrations, relatable storytelling, and plenty of heart. 

Theo’s dad is bundling him and his sister, Laura into the car for a road trip to Big Bend National Park. Although nature doesn’t fit into any of the kids’ interests (Theo likes comics), they follow along for a chance to have a nicer family vacation than visiting their grandma. It’s also a good chance to bond more since their mom died a few years ago. The kids notice, though, that their dad is suspiciously over-excited (and in turns) nervous about the trip, and everything makes sense when, mid-way through, he introduces them to his new girlfriend, Lucrecia. An Occasionally Happy Family is a surprisingly heartwarming, funny, and adventure-packed road-trip story about family and grief.

There’s a reason why this is the first book that comes to mind when I think of a family audiobook! It’s perfect even for kids as young as age 5. Ramona’s hijinks are relatable, and the story is warm and captivating, even for older listeners.

This book is about two Sophies–one preteen and an octogenarian–who are friends, best friends. Older Sophie is losing her memory and is at risk of being moved to a nursing home by her son, and younger Sophie is determined to help prove that her friend has still got it. She ends up learning more than she bargained for about life, history, and her friend’s life. Very sweet, very much a classic, touching, and with historical elements that add a healthy heft to the story. Lowry’s writing is gorgeous and thoughtful but also accessible. Darling! Ages 7+

I adored this audiobook and loved that the narrators are American and Indian-American respectively, which fits perfectly with this book written from the POV of two narrators. Ravi and Joe become unlikely friends as they band together to defeat a school bully. Ages 7+

This book follows three orphaned kids in WWII England who are evacuated after their (not nice) grandmother dies. The kids are instructed not to disclose how well off their family is until they’re placed with a new family that feels like a forever family. In their new countryside dwelling, the kids are placed with several poorly matched families. Through it all, the children take solace in each other, stories from William about their parents, and their love of books and the town library. A Place to Hang the Moon is a heartwarming, immersive middle-grade debut. Ages 7+

This book about a girl and her dog determined to win a dog agility contest against all odds is the perfect blend of adventure and heartwarming. Annie Shearer lives in Australia and has a dog who will only do tricks when no one but Annie is watching. When Annie’s family comes at risk of losing their farm, Annie is convinced that only the prize money from a dog agility contest can save the farm. But will her dog, Runt, perform? Ages 7+

Ryan Hart and her family are moving to a new (old) house because her dad lost his post office job and his new job doesn’t pay as much. Still, there are small joys. She doesn’t have to change schools and is still close enough to one of her best friends. With the new house and selling one of their cars, her parents can better deal with their financial struggles. Throughout this slice-of-life book, Ryan learns how to believe in herself, enjoy public speaking, be a bigger person, and love who she is. Renee Watson’s Ways to Make Sunshine is an absolutely delightful early middle-grade book with a memorable protagonist.

Dory is a fan favorite for young readers who like a touch of magical realism and plenty of mischief. With her trademark offbeat humor and some real and imagined changes, readers are in for a treat in Dory Fantasmagory.

Kids love this beloved classic inspired by a true story. It’s about a gorilla who lives in an enclosed glass cage in a mall. At first, Ivan is content with his quarters — for over 20 years. But when a baby elephant is brought into the enclosure, Ivan starts to remember his home and sees his current home as the captivity that it is. This is a sweet and moving verse novel for young readers. 

This charming illustrated book about a robot who ends up in the wild and survives by building community and caring for others is heartwarming but also surprisingly suspenseful and full of adventure.

Chance is a three-legged dog at the Dogtown shelter, where able-bodied and robot dogs compete for attention. Things start to change when a new robot dog, Metal Head, comes to the pound. First off, he’s determined to run away (return home). So he hatches a plan with Chance and her mouse best friend to help an older dog get adopted in exchange for helping him escape. But things do not go to plan, and Chance, her mouse friend, and Metal Head spend a night on the streets on an emotional adventure. The audiobook has the most charming sound effects.

This is a cute chapter book about handling anxieties and a girl overcoming her fear of climbing trees. Marisol Rainey’s mother was born in the Philippines. Marisol’s father works and lives part-time on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And Marisol, who has a big imagination and likes to name inanimate objects, has a tree in her backyard she calls Peppina . . . but she’s way too scared to climb it. This all makes Marisol the only girl in her small Louisiana town with a mother who was born elsewhere and a father who lives elsewhere (most of the time)—the only girl who’s fearful of adventure and fun. This summer, Marisol is determined to have fun and surmount her fears.

It’s 2020, and Matthew is sick of being inside with the pandemic raging outside. While reluctantly helping his great-grandmother sort through her belongings, he finds a picture of two girls. As she shares her experience during the Ukrainian famine, the story alternates between three narrators: Matthew, Helena, and Mila. A powerful, unforgettable account of historical events. Ages 10+

In this fan-favorite historical fiction, four teens’ lives intersect during WWI and WWII as they experience life-changing love and romance during the most heartbreaking time. Uniquely, this book is narrated by Greek gods resolving a personal dispute. It is absolutely fantastic on audio. Ages 12+

My favorite Korman book yet. It’s about Trey and his conman father, who moves from town to town, scamming wealthy people in his orbit under the claim that the rich won’t miss their money. At first, Trey admires his father’s scamming skills, viewing him as smart, but when they move to Boxelder, a town with a rich area called The Pointe, Trey finds friends with whom he really gets along, and starts getting concerned about his father’s schemes. This is a solid, suspenseful mystery about ethics when it’s right to steal, activism, changing your mind, morality, and growing up. It will make a great discussion book and fans of Korman’s books will gobble it up. Ages 10+

When Calvin and his parents move from Chicago to the Levittown suburbs in Pennsylvania, he’s torn between leaving his culture and older brother behind in the black neighborhoods and assimilating into the all-white neighborhood. Meeting and falling for the new black girl in his town doesn’t help as he finds himself caught up in organizing to get more Black teens into his school. But things quickly turn dangerous for him and his friends as loyalties are tested across the board. The Color of the Lie is a propulsive YA coming-of-age historical fiction/thriller that examines racial passing in the 1950s. Ages 12+

This dystopian YA book is at once chilling, thought-provoking, and compulsively readable. Set in a world where humans have conquered sickness, death, and all threat to life but now have appointed scythes to manage the population by gleaning humans periodically, this book follows two unwilling teens selected as apprentice scythes and their journey to attaining the position — or will they? Ages 11+