As an avid reader and listener since I was very young, it has been a great joy getting to watch as my niece and nephew learned to read. And as they get older, I love telling them about my favorite books that I read at their age, and also seeing them choose books on their own. They're now both in elementary school, and they read at a tremendous rate, so I always have a book recommendation or two ready when I visit. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to be a kid, flying through one children's book series after another, trying to read as much as I could before bedtime.
I still remember the audiobooks I listened to over and over when I was young. (I’m so old, I listened to audiobooks on little 45 records!) The technology and production of audiobooks has come a long way since then. Audiobooks are a great resource for children, whether they are just learning to read or already voracious readers. Studies show that listening to audiobooks has a positive effect on their developing minds, and listening to stories with great narration and voices help kids engage more with a story.
I've chosen a variety of great audiobook series for kids and broken them down into age groups to make it easier to find an option that works for you and your family. I've tried to cover a lot of different subjects and voices, and noted whether the series has concluded or is still ongoing. And just because you're a grown-up now, don't think you can't enjoy a children's audiobook series yourself! Some of my very favorite listens are included on this list.
Best Audiobook Series for Kids Ages 5-7
Ivy & Bean Series by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall (Completed)
Ivy and Bean are 7-year-olds who live on Pancake Court. Ivy is quiet and studious, while Bean is rambunctious and mischievous. But despite their differences in personality, they become best friends. Oh, and Ivy happens to be a witch in training! Award-winning voice actress Cassandra Morris gives a delightful, lively narration to the stories of Ivy and Bean’s friendship and adventures.
Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamillo (Completed)
Adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy Watson is not your ordinary pig: she’s a “porcine wonder” with a lot of heart. She loves buttered toast and sugar cookies, snuggling in bed, riding in the car, dressing up for Halloween, and, most of all, filling Mr. and Mrs. Watson’s days with joy and surprises. Award-winning voice actor Ron McLarty, who has narrated more than 100 audiobooks, helps bring all of Mercy's adventures (which usually involve snacks!) to life.
The Princess in Black Series by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale (Ongoing)
Princess Magnolia has a secret: she's also the heroic Princess in Black, who leaps to the rescue at the sound of the monster alarm. But keeping her secret identity a secret is almost as hard as doing battle with monsters. Julia Whelan, who launched her acting career as a child and has performed more than 300 audiobooks, narrates this series with the perfect blend of charm and excitement.
Judy Moody Series and Stink Series by Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds (Completed)
Judy Moody is a third-grader who likes animals, dreams of being a star, wants to help the environment, and has a whole lot of moods. She also has a pesky younger brother, Stink, who has problems (and a series) of his own. The narration of this delightful series is divided among a few wonderfully talented actresses—most notably Nancy Cartwright, who has famously voiced Bart on The Simpsons for more than 30 years.
Alvin Ho Series by Lenore Look and LeUyen Pham (Completed)
Alvin Ho is a second-grader who is afraid of just about everything, including elevators, tunnels, camping, parties, girls, and, most of all, school. So, while at school, he keeps to himself and stays very quiet. But at home, he turns into a very loud superhero, Firecracker Man, and tries to be more like his real-life hero, his dad.
Best Audiobook Series for Kids Ages 8 - 10
The Last Kids on Earth Series by Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate (Ongoing)
Ever since the monster apocalypse hit, 13-year-old Jack Sullivan has been holed up in his treehouse. But he’ll need more than catapults and a stash of Oreos to fend off the hordes of Vine Thingies, Winged Wretches, and Zombies. So, Jack builds a team—Quint, his best friend; Dirk, a reformed bully; June, his crush; and Rover, his pet monster—to not just hang out and hang on, but to help him take down Blarg, the baddest monster of them all.
Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer (Completed)
The star of this series is a 12-year-old criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl. His adventures kick off when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit, as part of a bold plan to restore his family’s fortune. But Artemis picked the wrong fairy to mess with—and soon finds himself thrust into a world of magic and danger. Praised by listeners as a great narrator
and absolutely brilliant,
Nathaniel Parker brings each installment to life with his mastery of various voices, accents, and dialects, as well as the aura of suspense and the protagonist’s ironic sense of humor.
Klawde Cat Series by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth (Ongoing)
Klawde is far from your average cat. Before his exile, he was an emperor on the planet Lyttyrboks, with fleets of feline warriors at his command. He now suffers the indignity of living on Earth…in Elba, Oregon. Raj is an average boy, but that’s not his problem. He had everything—a cool apartment in Brooklyn, three friends in his building, pizza within walking distance—until his mom got a job…in Elba, Oregon. When Klawde and Raj meet, life in Elba, Oregon, suddenly becomes…fun. Told from the alternating perspectives of these two best friends, the series features two narrators for each installment, including acclaimed actor Oliver Wyman and Audie Award winner Vikas Adam.
Shai & Emmie Series by Quvenzhané Wallis (Ongoing)
Academy Award-nominated teen actress Quvenzhané Wallis narrates her own series about two best friends, Shai and Emmie. They're third-graders with dreams of being stars and must often compete for roles against their rival, Gabby. Set in an elementary school for the performing arts, this series teaches kids valuable lessons about patience, dedication, practice, acceptance, and friendship.
Captain Underpants Series by Dav Pilkey (Completed)
From Caldecott Honor illustrator and cartoonist Dav Pilkey, this outrageously funny series revolves around two class clowns and their brainchild: Captain Underpants! Bored with the usual comic book heroes, fourth-graders George Beard and Harold Hutchins set out to create the greatest superhero in the history of elementary school. (His true identity is so secret, even he doesn’t know who he is.) In a flash, Captain Underpants takes on a life of his own, doing battle with nasty villains from Bionic Booger Boy to the Purple Potty People. Len Forgione, Dazjon Freeman, and Ben D’Amico are among the multiple narrators who join forces to perform each adventure.
Best Audiobook Series for Kids Ages 10 - 12
The Jumbies Series by Tracy Baptiste (Completed)
Rooted in Caribbean folklore, this fantastic trilogy is about a brave young girl, Corinne La Mer, forced to do battle with a dreaded, bewitching trickster: a real-life jumbie. Along with learning how to use ancient magic, Corinne must call on her courage and her friends to stop her father from falling prey to the jumbie’s charms and, ultimately, save her entire island village. Hall of Fame narrator Robin Miles, winner of multiple Audie and Earphones Awards, performs the entire series brilliantly.
The School for Good and Evil Series by Soman Chainani and Iacopo Bruno (Completed)
Set in a startling world of fairytales, this series focuses on two friends and a journey of discovery. Even as tiny girls, Sophie and Agatha knew where they would attend school to prepare for their fairytale future. With her devotion to good deeds and glass slippers, Sophie is the perfect candidate for the School for Good, whose graduates include Cinderella and Snow White. With her black cat and wicked sense of humor, Agatha seems destined to follow the path of villains at the School for Evil. Imagine the girls’ shock when their anticipated assignments are reversed. How could Sophie be enrolled in Henchman Training, while Agatha gets to study Princess Etiquette? Narrated by Polly Lee in her lovely British lilt, this series will engage young listeners and challenge them to think about stereotypes and expectations.
Pandava Series by Roshani Chokshi (Ongoing)
This antastic, imaginative series is perfect for fourth or fifth graders, or anyone who likes fun! It tells the ongoing story of Aru Shah, a spirited young girl with a tendency to stretch the truth, who accidentally unleashes the end of time while messing around in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture. She now has to work in the Otherworld with new friends to try and stop the impending doom—and save her classmates and beloved mother.
The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins (Completed)
Before kids are old enough to listen to The Hunger Games series by author Suzanne Collins, they can check out her fantastic middle grade series about a young boy and his little sister who fall through a portal behind the dryer in the basement and find themselves in another world. Paul Boehmer’s cheery voice is the perfect compliment to this series of exploration and adventure.
The Vanderbeekers Series by Karina Yan Glaser (Ongoing)
This is a charming series about the five Vanderbeeker siblings and the adventures they have in the city where they live. The series is read by Audie Award-winning, Hall of Fame narrator Robin Miles, who has worked on almost 250 audiobooks.
Track Series by Jason Reynolds (Completed)
This excellent series is about four kids from very different backgrounds who are on an elite middle school track team. The series has won multiple awards, including an American Library Association Notable Children’s Recording honor. The books are voiced by accomplished narrators Guy Lockard and Heather Alicia Simms.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan (Completed)
This is one of the most successful middle grade series of all time. Percy Jackson is the half-blood son of an Olympian god, who must battle mythical monsters in modern-day settings. All the action and adventure is brought to life by award-winning audiobook narrator Jesse Bernstein.
Nevermoor Series by Jessica Townsend (Ongoing)
And this is one of my favorite new series! It's the story of an 11-year-old girl, named Morrigan Crow, who has lived a drab, unhappy life, until she is whisked away to another world, where she is enrolled in a magical school. It's a delightful, imaginative series that is set to be told over the course of seven books. These are brought to your ears by the wonderful British actress Gemma Whelan, who is best known for her role on Game of Thrones.
Liberty Hardy is a Book Riot senior contributing editor and velocireader in the great state of Maine, where she reads 500-600 books a year and lives with her three cats, who hate to read.
