Summer’s the perfect time for kids to indulge in adventure, but sometimes it’s great to sit back, relax, and listen to a great story instead. Audiobooks can be a fun way to keep children entertained on a hot summer day, during long car trips, lazy afternoons, or even camping trips.
Here are 11 of the best summer audiobooks for young readers and listeners. These amazing tales are sure to make it onto everyone’s summer reading list. From classics like Enid Blyton’s Summer Stories to more contemporary spooky tales like Camp Red Moon, these audiobooks can spark the wildest of imaginations. They’ll provide hours of entertainment for young listeners.
Camping is an ideal way to spend summer evenings. In the fresh air, under the stars, one of the best things to do is share spooky tales with friends. Gather the kids around a crackling fire and listen to Campfire Stories for Kids by Drake Quinn. This audiobook is a wonderful compilation of short listens, from eerie ghost stories like the one about the girl in the white dress to lighthearted comical tales that will have everyone chuckling. Get the s’mores roasting and settle in—there’s no better way to bring the kids together than sharing a bit of laughter and fright.
Enid Blyton’s Summer Stories is a delightful collection of short stories, sure to inspire your kids to enjoy a summer day outdoors. Follow the various characters—both children and adults—as they embark on different adventures and experiences during their summer holidays. These engaging and heartwarming stories take the listeners on wholesome days out. From picnics to seaside vacations to camping trips, these and other summertime activities will resonate with listeners of all ages. Children worldwide love Blyton’s trademark storytelling style, and this collection is an excellent choice for kids who enjoy tales of adventure and imagination.
Cat and her younger brother, Chicken, share an unbreakable bond. She’s always there for him when he has a meltdown. Now, with their father gone and their mother working double shifts to make ends meet, Cat is holding their family together. Caterpillar Summer follows the siblings as they spend three weeks with grandparents they’ve never met before. Cat is initially resistant to the change of scenery, but as she explores her new surroundings, she discovers a newfound sense of freedom and joy. Along the way, she learns that sometimes the strongest connections can come from the most unexpected places.
In David O’Doherty’s The Summer I Robbed a Bank, a boy experiences summer days of adventure, chaos, and discovery. Rex has no choice but to spend his summer on a rainy Irish island with nothing but sheep for company. His eccentric Uncle Derm has a wild plan– follow the footsteps of the legendary Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley by robbing the island’s bank and using the stolen money to help the island’s less fortunate residents. But he needs Rex’s help to pull it off. When the robbery goes awry, Rex must decide whether to keep going or to do what’s right.
R.L. Stine’s Camp Red Moon is a spooky, suspenseful audiobook that will appeal to horror and mystery fans. This interconnected horror story collection occurs at a children’s summer camp. Each story follows a different group of campers as they encounter strange and terrifying occurrences at Camp Red Moon. From the sinister woods to dark secrets, the campers realize that something isn’t quite right. So they must band together using their wits to survive the horrors that await them. It’s a frighteningly fantastic listen about a creepy and thrilling summer camp experience, from the mind behind the groundbreaking Goosebumps series.
Fearless 9-year-old Rebekah is thrilled to be spending her summer at camp. She hopes to have many adventures, such as swimming, hiking, and camping—and, most importantly, solving mysteries. But the camp counsellors warn the kids to stay away from a mysterious shed, immediately sparking Rebekah’s curiosity. With the help of her best friend and cousin, Rebekah sets out to uncover the camp’s truth and is determined to uncover what’s inside the shed. Rebekah - Girl Detective Goes to Summer Camp by PJ Ryan is an exciting audiobook, filled with funny and heartwarming moments that young listeners are sure to love.
Follow the Penderwick sisters as they embark on exciting adventures over their summer vacation. In Jeanne Birdall’s five-part audiobook series, each story brings listeners on a journey with the four sisters, from their escapades at Arundel estate to their home on Gardam Street. They’ll take listeners on endeavours through cozy cottages and rocky shores, meeting charming neighbours and furry friends along the way. Through unexpected twists and turns, the relatable and lovable characters get up to all sorts of mischief. The Penderwicks is humorous and heartwarming, with charming stories celebrating the joys of sisterhood, family, and friendship.
In The Summer Camp Mystery, the Alden siblings—Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny—are about to embark on their first summer adventure at Camp Seagull. They’re excited to spend the summer swimming, canoeing, and exploring the island. But their fun is soon interrupted when a mysterious person causes trouble. The Aldens decide to investigate and soon find themselves in the middle of a puzzling mystery involving stolen valuables, secret passages, and suspicious characters. As the children dig deeper, a surprising discovery puts them in grave danger. Can the Alden siblings unravel the clues and solve the mystery with their wits, courage, and teamwork?
Camp Time in California by Mary Pope Osborne is a children’s audiobook in the Magic Tree House series. Join adventurous siblings Jack and Annie in this adventure as the Magic Tree House takes them back to 1903. At the stunning Yosemite National Park, they discover that they are a part of an extraordinary trek led by none other than John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt. This excursion is considered the most important camping trip in conservation history. This thrilling and educational tale is perfect for young listeners.
Hilda Van Stockum’s Canadian Summer tells the story of the Mitchell family. The clan makes the move from Washington, D.C. to the new lands of Montréal. They initially struggle to find a suitable place to live, but despite their mother’s protests, they settle for a rundown summer house in the woods near a lake. This audiobook follows their adventures, dangers, quarrels, and fun, as they come across delightful French Canadians and experience late-1940s rural Quebec. Each family member has vivid characterization. It all makes for an entertaining and engaging story that has become a beloved children’s audiobook for many.
Letters from Camp is an Audible Original that lets your children hear summer stories in a unique way. This fictional podcast follows a different group of campers and their adventures, mishaps, and personal growth in each season. Follow narrator Mookie Hooper—voiced by Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis—as she investigates a girl who, while confronting the budding anxieties of tweendom, went missing from Camp Cartwright. Told through letters, this heartfelt comedy is full of adventure, comedy, and drama. The combination of narration, voice acting, and sound effects are family-friendly and engaging for listeners of all ages who enjoy immersive storytelling.
