Keeping the kids entertained is no mean feat - especially if they're stuck indoors. And if you find it hard to get them opening up a book, another way to introduce them to the magic of literature is via the audiobook.

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The best source of spoken-word storytelling is, of course, Audible, a service that puts literally thousands of children's classics, old and new, at your disposal. You can both pay for Audible titles as a one-off purchase, or else subscribe on a monthly basis (and you'll find there's a 30-day trial to take advantage of, too). To find out more about subscription costs, make sure you read our how does Audible work explainer.

We've put together a list of our favourite kids audiobooks that you'll find on Audible. Many of these have even been narrated by the authors themselves - who better to tell a story that the person who wrote it? Others have been read by actors and other high-profile figures. Read on for our pick of the best audiobooks for kids on Audible - from Roald Dahl to Rudyard Kipling.

For adult titles, you may also want to check out our articles on the best Audible audiobooks and best free Audible podcasts.

Listen for less – Audible deals in the Prime Early Access sale

From the 10th October until 18th December, you can get Audible for just £2.99 a month! For your money, you’ll get one monthly credit to spend on an audiobook of your choice, plus access to countless free audiobooks and podcasts. 

Whether you want classic literature, cracking comedy or true crime – there’s something for everyone.

Get Audible for £2.99 per month — then £7.99 (auto renews)

30 of the best audiobooks for kids

From Roald Dahl to Philip Pullman and Beatrix Potter to David Walliams, there's a story for every child or young adult. Here's our pick of the best books on Audible for kids.

1. The Restless Girls

By: Jessie Burton

Narrated by: Thandie Newton

Length: 2 hrs and 33 mins

Read by actress Thandie Newton, this feminist retelling of a well-known fairytale follows twelve princesses, whose mother's death in a car accident has far reaching consequences when their father, King Alberto, attempts to ensure his daughters' safety at all costs — costing them their freedom...

2. George's Marvellous Medicine

By: Roald Dahl

Narrated by: Derek Jacobi

Length: 1 hr and 35 mins

Narrated by the acclaimed actor Derek Jacobi, Roald Dahl's hilarious and grizzly tale follows eight-year-old George, who decides to teach his grouchy grandmother a lesson by brewing up a very special potion just for her, using everyday ingredients from around the house — with explosive and unexpected results... Dahl's Matilda is also available on Audible, and is voiced by Oscar-winner Kate Winslet.

3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

By: J.K. Rowling

Narrated by: Stephen Fry

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

No one reads Harry Potter aloud better than the beloved Stephen Fry. Kick things off where it all began, at Number 4 Privet Drive, where the odious Dursleys have a sneaking suspicion that their rather unusual (or, more accurately, magical) connections are about to catch up with them — but nothing can prepare them for the small bundle left on their doorstep one night...

Also available in the Harry Potter series:

4. The Jungle Book: The Mowgli Stories

By: Rudyard Kipling

Narrated by: Bill Bailey, Richard E. Grant, Colin Salmon, Tim McInnerny, Bernard Cribbins, Celia Imrie, Martin Shaw

Length: 2 hrs and 30 mins

This award-winning adaptation features an all-star cast that kids and adults alike will appreciate, with voices lent by Oscar nominee Richard E. Grant, Celia Imrie and Doctor Who's Bernard Cribbins, among others. The beloved tale follows Mowgli, a young human boy raised by wolves in the depths of the jungle.

5. Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls 2

By: Francesca Cavallo, Elena Favilli

Narrated by: Alicia Keys, Ashley Judd, Danai Gurira, Janeane Garofalo, Phillipa Soo, Esperanza Spalding, Samira Wiley, Mozhan Marnò, Rowan Blanchard

Length: 3 hrs and 47 mins

With the all-star slate of narrators including the Alicia Keys and Hamilton's Phillipa Soo, this brilliant compilation is the sequel to the New York Times bestseller, and takes kids through 100 empowering stories.

6. Noughts and Crosses

By: Malorie Blackman

Narrated by: Syan Blake, Paul Chequer

Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins

Malorie Blackman's bestselling dystopian young adult novel follows Sephy, a member of the ruling black class, the 'Crosses', and her childhood friend Callum, a 'Nought' and member of the white underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses.

7. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

By: J.K. Rowling, Newt Scamander

Narrated by: Eddie Redmayne

Length: 1 hr and 54 mins

Narrated by none other than Newt Scamander (aka Eddie Redmayne) himself, discover the inspiration behind the hit Harry Potter spin-off film series, starring Redmayne. JK Rowling presents a complete guide to magical beasts, from manticores to phoenixes and unicorns.

8. Zog

By: Julia Donaldson

Narrated by: Imelda Staunton

Length: 28 mins

If you know a child who enjoyed BBC One's animated adaptation of Zog, why not introduce them to Julia Donaldson's original? Harry Potter's Imelda Staunton (she played the sickly-sweet and secretly evil Dolores Umbridge in the franchise) narrates. Donaldson's best-known work, The Gruffalo, is also available on Audible, and is narrated again by Staunton.

9. Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales

By: Beatrix Potter

Narrated by: Gary Bond, Michael Hordern, Rosemary Leach, Janet Maw

Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins

Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck, The Flopsy Bunnies, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Squirrel Nutkin, Tom Kitten, Jeremy Fisher... Beatrix Potter's iconic animal characters are brought to life in this complete collection of her beloved children's tales, narrated by a range of talented readers, including Gary Bond.

10. Winnie-the-Pooh: The Complete BBC collection

By: A. A. Milne

Narrated by: Alan Bennett

Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins

Alan Bennett narrates this compiled collection of A.A. Milne's iconic children's stories, following a bear with a taste for honey and who frequently gets himself into scrapes, along with his friends Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Owl, Eeyore and Owl — and not to mention their human friend, a boy called Christopher Robin.

11. The Complete Chronicles of Narnia

By: C. S. Lewis

Narrated by: Maurice Denham, Full Cast

Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins

Radio 4's classic full-cast dramatisations are preserved here, as well-known actors including Fiona Shaw and Timothy Spall lend their voices to bring C.S. Lewis' classic books to life. From The Magician’s Nephew to Prince Caspian and, of course, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the collection is perfectly rendered for kids of all ages.

12. How to Train Your Dragon

By: Cressida Cowell

Narrated by: David Tennant

Length: 3 hrs and 29 mins

Broadchurch and Doctor Who star David Tennant - who also voiced a character in the How to Train Your Dragon films - tells the story of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (otherwise known as Hiccup), the scrawny young Viking who defies all odds to become a feared dragon-trainer, 'The Dragon Whisperer' — with just a little help from his secret pet dragon...

13. The Ice Monster

By: David Walliams

Narrated by: Jane Horrocks, Miriam Margolyes, Peter Serafinowicz, Nitin Ganatra, James Goode, David Walliams

Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins

Victorian London, and news arrives of a woolly mammoth found at the North Pole. Orphan Elsie is determined to see the 'ice monster' for herself, no matter what, and her journey takes her across London and all the way to the Arctic. Author David Walliams is joined by an ensemble cast.

14. The Tales of Beedle the Bard

By: J.K. Rowling

Narrated by: Warwick Davis, Noma Dumezweni, Jason Isaacs, Jude Law, Evanna Lynch, Sally Mortemore, Bonnie Wright

Length: 1 hour and 35 minutes

This spin-off book from the Harry Potter universe consists of fairytales for wizarding children, including the story of the Deathly Hallows. The tales are narrated by stars of the films including Evanna Lynch who played Luna Lovegood, Bonnie Wright (Ginnie Weasley) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). At least 90% of the proceeds from this book go to The Lumos Foundation which helps children out of institutions across the world.

15. The World’s Worst Teachers

By: David Walliams

Narrated by: David Walliams

Length: 2 hours and 51 minutes

This collection of 10 stories tells of a whole host of terrible teachers, from ones who are half monster to those who are terrified of children. The book follows the popular World’s Worst Children collection from much-loved children’s author David Walliams and is sure to keep kids laughing.

Read the best David Walliams books here.

16. The Boy Who Grew Dragons

By: Andy Shepherd

Narrated by: Ewan Goddard

Length: 3 hours and 8 minutes

Tomas finds an usual tree at the bottom of his grandad's garden and can’t believe it when one of its fruit hatches into a real-life dragon, who he names Flicker. Tomas is just about figuring out how to look after his new friend when lots more dragons begin to hatch from the tree, too.

17. Matilda

By: Roald Dahl

Narrated by: Kate Winslet

Length: 4 hours and 18 minutes

If kids haven’t already read the book, they’ll surely be familiar with Matilda from the film or even the stage play. A very clever child to not-so-clever parents in a school run by an evil headmistress, Matilda has a lot to deal with. Luckily, she has a friend in Miss Honey and some very special talents of her own.

18. The Gruffalo

By: Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Narrated by: Imelda Staunton

Length: 25 minutes

The much-loved story of the Gruffalo has become a modern classic. It follows as mouse on a stroll through the woods as he comes face to face with a big hungry Gruffalo. This audio edition is read by Imelda Staunton, who kids will know best as Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter Films. At 25 minutes long it’s not as long as most other tales, which might work better for younger children with a slightly shorter attention span.

19. Northern Lights: His Dark Materials Trilogy

By: Philip Pullman

Narrated by: Philip Pullman

Length: 10 hours and 45 minutes

Philip Pullman’s trilogy won both the Carnegie Medal and Guardian Award and His Dark Materials has since been made into a TV series on BBC One. In the first book, 12-year old Lyra sets off on a rescue adventure with the help of a bear, a daemon and a witch-queen. This edition is read by the author and the following two books in the series are also available as audio versions.

Also available in the His Dark Materials trilogy:

20. The Boy at the Back of the Class

By: Onjali Q. Rauf

Narrated by: Imogen Wilde

Length: 5 hours and 4 minutes

This heart-warming story follows a 9-year-old child and his friends who find a new boy called Ahmet has joined their class. Ahmet doesn’t talk and he doesn’t like sherbet lemons which all seems very unusual, Then, they learn that Ahmet is a refugee and the friends decide to hatch a plan.

21. The Tiger Who Came to Tea

By: Judith Kerr

Narrated by: Geraldine McEwan

Length: 9 minutes

Judith Kerr’s much-loved children’s classic is available as an audiobook for bedtime listening or daytime fun. It’s another short one at only nine minutes long so it’s great for younger kids. In the story, a hungry tiger arrives at the door of Sophie and her mum, just as they are about to have their tea.

22. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

By: John Boyne

Narrated by: Michael Maloney

Length: 4 hours and 55 minutes

One of slightly older kids and a top pick for lessons in school, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas tells the story of a little German boy called Bruno during the Holocaust. They’ve moved to a strange house in the middle of nowhere, where Bruno makes friends with a little boy who lives on the other side of the chain fence. Shmuel is a little boy just like Bruno, except he always wears a pair of blue striped pyjamas.

23. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

By: Rick Riordan

Narrated by: Jesse Bernstein

Length: 10 hours

Percy Jackson thought he was just a normal kid, but it turns out he is the son of a Greek God which makes him a “half-blood” with special powers. Now, somebody has stolen a lightning bolt from the powerful god Zeus and Percy needs to try and find it before it’s too late. This one is the first in a whole series of Percy Jackson books which can also be listened to.

Also available in the Percy Jackson series:

24. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

By: Roald Dahl

Narrated by: Douglas Hodge

Length: 3 hours and 17 minutes

One of Roald Dahl’s most adored stories, Charlie and the Chocolate factory is known the world over and has been made and remade into Hollywood films. Charlie Bucket and his parents don’t have much money, so imagine his luck when he finds a coveted golden ticket in one of his scarcely afforded chocolate bars. The ticket means he gets to visit the curious chocolate maker Mr Willy Wonka and his fantastical factory.

25. Room on the Broom

By: Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Narrated by: Josie Lawrence

Length: 24 minutes

As a witch flies along on her broom, she offers rides to helpful forest friends who retrieve the lost items she drops along the way. Then, the broom breaks and the friends tumble down to where a hungry dragon is roaming around.

26. The Hunger Games

By: Suzanne Collins

Narrated by: Tatiana Maslany

Length: 10 hours and 35 minutes

The first in the now famous trilogy, The Hunger Games is set in a world where an elite Capitol is surrounded by 12 impoverished districts who must each offer a teenager as tribute. The tributes fight to the death on the live TV show, so when Katniss Everdeen hears her younger sister’s name announced for their district, she volunteers to fight in her place.

Book 2: Catching Fire

Book 3: Mockingjay

27. Funny Bones: The Collection

By: Janet Ahlberg and Allan Ahlberg

Narrated by: Stephen Mangan

Length: 35 minutes

This audio book is a collection of charming tales from the friendly skeleton pals as they go about their night-time adventures. The edition includes The Pet Shop, Bumps in the Night and Dinosaur Dreams among other tales.

28. Treasure Island

By: Robert Louis Stevenson

Narrated by: Sam Taylor

Length: 6 hours and 44 minutes

Originally written in the 1800s, this classic story from Robert Louis Stevenson is set in a world of buccaneers and buried treasure. The adventurous novel is a coming-of-age story which set the precedent for the fictionalised world of pirates as we know them today. Most of all, watch out for the infamous Long John Silver.

29. Disney: 365 Bedtime Stories

By: Disney Press

Narrated by: Greg Tremblay

Length: 14 hours and 35 minutes

One for every night of the year, this audio collection of 365 bedtime stories for children should have them drifting off in no time. The stories include all their favourite Disney characters like Toy Story’s Woody as he and his friends go camping plus Frozen’s Elsa, Anna and Olaf having a sleepover.

If your kids still can’t get enough of their favourite friends, the new Disney+ streaming service has all the classics available to stream instantly on any device.

30. The Highway Rat

By: Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Narrated by: Imelda Staunton

Length: 29 minutes

Another gripping story from favourite children’s duo Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, this tale follows a mischievous, horse-riding rat who rides along the highway stealing food. That is until he encounters a crafty duck.

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Ditch your headphones! Take a look at our best smart speaker pick to listen to these classics with your kids.

Authors

Radio Times Staff
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