15 Free Audiobooks Your Kids Will Love (and Where to Find Them)
Updated: Nov. 22, 2023
Your children (and their imagination) will thank you later.
Who doesn’t love free audiobooks for kids?
Reading is an incredibly fun and magical experience for children. But, the pull of computer and phone screens these days might mean less reading time for youngsters. Enter: audiobooks. You can learn how to download free audiobooks so you can download family audiobooks, some of these best adult audiobooks, and audiobooks for your kids. If you need some free audiobooks for kids to get started, here are 15 we know your kids will love. Happy listening!
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The Wizard of Oz
Your kids may have watched The Wizard of Oz, but listening to the book is a totally different experience. They’ll listen along as Dorothy is whisked away from her home in Kansas to the magical land of Oz. She must make her way to the Emerald City and ask the Wizard to help get her home. She meets the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion along the way, who join her on her quest to the Emerald City. Your children will love listening to Dorothy’s unforgettable adventure in Oz! You can find this tale on Audible.
The Jungle Book
If your kids like The Jungle Book movie, then they’ll love the audiobook. They’ll listen to the story of a boy named Mowgli as he sets out on a journey of self-discovery—with the help of his animal friends in the jungle. Your kids will listen along to Mowgli’s adventure and make the vivid details of the jungle come alive in their minds. Listen to this classic along with tons of other audiobooks on Spotify.
Katie and the Magical Deer
Katie is just like any other child, with one catch—she’s a witch. That can get her into some unique situations, like finding a deer with golden antlers in her garden. Follow along as Katie plays with the deer for a day and discovers why the deer showed up in the first place. Listen to this story on storynory.com.
The Golden Orchard
This is an audiobook for children ages 9 and up. It follows the story of Maya, who loves to cook with her grandmother (her Halmunee). Little does Maya know that the women in her family have a unique gift—they can use food to travel through time. Maya soon learns how to eat her way into the past, and along the way, she meets another time traveler who takes her to the Golden Orchard, a garden of memories filled with the trees of many people’s lives. In the garden, Maya learns about time, memories, and why some family secrets exist in the first place. Listen to it now on Audible!
The Adventures of Pinocchio
This is the book that inspired the classic Disney animated movie Pinocchio. Your children can follow the mischievous adventures of the lively marionette Pinocchio as he goes through everyday life with his father, Geppetto. If they listen closely, they may even hear Pinocchio’s nose grow as he tells a lie! Listen to it now on librivox.org.
Only Emma
This is a story anyone who’s ever had a sibling can relate to. It’s the cheeky story of eight-year-old Emma, an only child who lives with her mother. She’s used to being an only child, so when four-year-old Anthony Scarpetto moves in for a week, her world is rocked. Your kids will follow Emma through the trials and tribulations of having a “little brother”—something, she realizes, may not be so bad after all. You can listen to this story on Audible.
The Strangest Flight
If your kids like a good mystery, this is the audiobook for them. It’s the story of a family who takes a flight from London to New York—but when they board the plane, they notice some…odd things about it. Your kids will be on the edge of their seats as they listen to the story of this peculiar flight. Be sure to bookmark this one for Halloween! Listen now on storynory.com.
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Riley Mack and the Other Known Troublemakers
This is one of those free audiobooks for kids that incorporates both heart and humor. It’s about a group of bold kids who share a common goal: stopping the people who do wrong in their neighborhood. If your children love stories that are a little mischievous (but have great underlying messages), this one is definitely for them. You can listen now on Audible.
The Magic Tree House Collection, Books 1 – 8
If your children love history and geography, this is the series for them. The Magic Tree House series follows siblings Jack and Annie, who are ordinary kids with an extraordinary secret—they’ve discovered a magic tree house that travels through time. In this collection of audiobooks, they use the tree house to visit dinosaurs, treasure-seeking pirates, a ninja master in ancient Japan, and other unforgettable characters! Listen to the collection now on livebrary.overdrive.com.
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Keeper of the Lost Cities
This is an audiobook for the preteens in your life. Keeper of the Lost Cities is centered around a telepathic girl named Sophie. No one knows she can read minds, and she often feels like she doesn’t fit in—until she meets Fitz, a boy who can also read minds. Soon, she learns why she’s always felt out of place and the truth about who she is. Seriously, your kids won’t believe the twists and turns in Sophie’s journey. You can start listening now on Audible.
The Wild Robot
Can a robot survive in the wild? That’s the question The Wild Robot seeks to answer. Your kids will follow the story of Roz, a robot who wakes up on a remote island—and has no idea how she got there. She must learn to befriend the animals, learn the ins and outs of the island, and how to survive on her own. It’s an action-packed and heartfelt story about what happens when technology meets nature. Listen now on livebrary.overdrive.com.
The Velveteen Rabbit
The Velveteen Rabbit has been a favorite children’s book since it was published in 1922. The book chronicles the journey of a stuffed rabbit who longs to become real with the help (and love) of his owner. It’s a magical tail your kids will love! Looking for more options? Here are some free audiobooks on Spotify you must check out.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
This is another classic children’s book that’s brought to life through audio. Actress Scarlett Johansson narrates the story of Alice and her adventures in wonderland—from meeting the White Rabbit to facing the Queen of Hearts. Watch your children’s imagination come to life as they listen to Alice’s wild journey. You can listen to this classic on Audible.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
If your kids love mystery and puzzles, this is a story they’ll thoroughly enjoy. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library follows the adventure of Kyle Keeley as he and 11 other children spend the night in the new town library, built by Luigi Lemoncello, a notorious and creative game maker. When they wake up, they realize the doors are locked—and the only way out is to solve riddles and puzzles. Will they make it out? Listen on livebrary.overdrive.com to find out!
The Big Foot and Little Foot Collection
This collection chronicles the adventures of two unlikely best friends. Boone is a boy who wants to see a Sasquatch—and Hugo is a Sasquatch who craves adventure. And when they meet…let’s just say things get wild. This collection includes all three books in the series: book one, Big Foot and Little Foot; book two, The Monster Detector; and book three, The Squatchicorns. Start listening to them now on Audible.
