For Kids
The best audiobooks for six-year-olds
Six is where a story can start carrying across chapters, and where Roald Dahl becomes the right answer.
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Six is a step change. A six-year-old can hold a plot across chapters, cope with a villain, and sit still for fifteen minutes at a time — which opens up most of the children's canon at once.
What works at six
- Ten to fifteen minute chapters, with one problem resolved per chapter.
- A proper villain. Children this age enjoy a genuinely horrible adult being defeated, which is most of why Dahl works so well.
- Strong character voices. Kate Winslet's Trunchbull in Matilda is the kind of performance children quote for years.
- Non-fiction in short pieces. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is a hundred one-page lives, each read by a different voice.
The best audiobooks for a six-year-old
Every entry says what is in the book. Narrators from the publisher's catalog; prices from Amazon at our last check.
| # | Title | Best for | Narrator | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Matilda Roald Dahl · read by Kate Winslet A brilliant child, dreadful parents and a headmistress who throws children by the hair. Dahl at his most satisfying. | Ages six and up who like justice | Kate Winslet | $11.81on Amazon |
| 2 |  The BFG Roald Dahl · read by Samantha Bond A girl and a vegetarian giant conspire against the child-eating ones. The invented vocabulary is made for reading aloud. | Ages five to eight | Samantha Bond | $11.81on Amazon |
| 3 |  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl · read by Douglas Hodge Five children, one factory and four very pointed punishments. Still the best-paced Dahl. | Ages six and up, on a car journey | Douglas Hodge | $11.03on Amazon |
| 4 |  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe C. S. Lewis · read by Michael York Four children, a wardrobe and a hundred-year winter. The best entry point to Narnia and the right length for a journey. | Ages six to ten, in the car | Michael York | $15.74on Amazon |
| 5 |  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum · read by Anne Hathaway The book, which is odder and more violent than the film. A good first classic for a car journey. | Ages six to nine | Anne Hathaway | $10.68on Amazon |
| 6 |  The Wild Robot Peter Brown · read by Kate Atwater A robot washes up on an island and learns to survive among the animals. Gentle, and quietly about parenting. | Ages six to nine | Kate Atwater | $15.69on Amazon |
| 7 |  Magic Tree House Collection: Books 1-8 Mary Pope Osborne · read by Mary Pope Osborne Two children travel through history in short, easy chapters. The most useful audiobook purchase for a family road trip with early readers. | Ages five to eight, eight books in one | Mary Pope Osborne | $18.90on Amazon |
| 8 |  Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls Elena Favilli · read by Full cast (8 narrators) A hundred one-page biographies of real women, each read by a different voice. Built for dipping into. | Ages six to ten, one story a night | Full cast (8 narrators) | $9.50on Amazon |
The picks, in detail
Our top pick · Ages six and up who like justice
Matilda
by Roald Dahl · narrated by Kate Winslet
- Runtime
- Not published in our source
- Narrators
- 1
- Audio edition
- 2013
A brilliant child, dreadful parents and a headmistress who throws children by the hair. Dahl at his most satisfying.
On audio
Kate Winslet performs every character, including a Trunchbull that children quote for years.
Who should skip it
- The adults are genuinely cruel.
- Dahl's narrator is sharp about looks and weight.
#ad How we are funded · Audible price as of October 6, 2026
Pick 2 · Ages five to eight
The BFG
by Roald Dahl · narrated by Samantha Bond
- Runtime
- Not published in our source
- Narrators
- 1
- Audio edition
- 2026
A girl and a vegetarian giant conspire against the child-eating ones. The invented vocabulary is made for reading aloud.
On audio
Natasha Richardson handles the giant's scrambled language, which only really works spoken.
Who should skip it
- The other giants frighten some younger listeners.
- The Queen section drags.
#ad How we are funded · Audible price as of October 6, 2026
Pick 3 · Ages six and up, on a car journey
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
by Roald Dahl · narrated by Douglas Hodge
- Runtime
- Not published in our source
- Narrators
- 1
- Audio edition
- 2013
Five children, one factory and four very pointed punishments. Still the best-paced Dahl.
On audio
Douglas Hodge's Wonka is sly rather than zany, which suits the book better than the films do.
Who should skip it
- The Oompa-Loompas' original framing is uncomfortable.
- The moralizing is heavy.
#ad How we are funded · Audible price as of October 6, 2026
Pick 4 · Ages six to ten, in the car
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
by C. S. Lewis · narrated by Michael York
- Runtime
- Not published in our source
- Narrators
- 1
- Audio edition
- 2005
Four children, a wardrobe and a hundred-year winter. The best entry point to Narnia and the right length for a journey.
On audio
Michael York's reading keeps the storyteller's warmth that the book is built on.
Who should skip it
- The Christian allegory is explicit by the end.
- Aslan's death frightens younger listeners.
#ad How we are funded · Audible price as of October 6, 2026
Pick 5 · Ages six to nine
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum · narrated by Anne Hathaway
- Runtime
- Not published in our source
- Narrators
- 1
- Audio edition
- 2012
The book, which is odder and more violent than the film. A good first classic for a car journey.
Who should skip it
- Noticeably different from the film, which can disappoint.
- Some genuinely grim scenes.
#ad How we are funded · Audible price as of October 6, 2026
Pick 6 · Ages six to nine
The Wild Robot
by Peter Brown · narrated by Kate Atwater
- Runtime
- Not published in our source
- Narrators
- 1
- Audio edition
- 2016
A robot washes up on an island and learns to survive among the animals. Gentle, and quietly about parenting.
On audio
Kate Atwater's calm reading suits short chapters built for bedtime.
Who should skip it
- Some animal deaths.
- Slow middle section.
#ad How we are funded · Audible price as of October 6, 2026
Pick 7 · Ages five to eight, eight books in one
Magic Tree House Collection: Books 1-8
by Mary Pope Osborne · narrated by Mary Pope Osborne
- Runtime
- Not published in our source
- Narrators
- 1
- Audio edition
- 2011
Two children travel through history in short, easy chapters. The most useful audiobook purchase for a family road trip with early readers.
On audio
Mary Pope Osborne reads her own books, which keeps the register exactly right for the age.
Who should skip it
- Highly formulaic.
- Thin characterization.
#ad How we are funded · Audible price as of October 6, 2026
Pick 8 · Ages six to ten, one story a night
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
by Elena Favilli · narrated by Alicia Keys, Ashley Judd, Esperanza Spalding, Janeane Garofalo, Mozhan Marnò, Phillipa Soo, Rowan Blanchard, Samira Wiley
- Runtime
- Not published in our source
- Narrators
- 8
- Audio edition
- 2018
A hundred one-page biographies of real women, each read by a different voice. Built for dipping into.
On audio
A large cast of narrators takes a story each, which keeps a hundred short pieces from blurring.
Who should skip it
- One page each means very little depth.
- No narrative to follow.
#ad How we are funded · Audible price as of October 6, 2026
What to know before pressing play
| Book | The thing to know |
|---|---|
| Matilda | The adults are genuinely cruel, and Dahl's narrator is sharp about people's looks. |
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | The Oompa-Loompas' original framing is uncomfortable; the moralizing is heavy. |
| The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | Aslan's death frightens a lot of six-year-olds. The Christian allegory becomes explicit. |
| The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | Noticeably different from the film, and some scenes are genuinely grim. |
| The Wild Robot | Some animal deaths, handled gently. |
Where to go next
- Back a year, audiobooks for five-year-olds.
- Forward a year, audiobooks for seven-year-olds.
- For the car, audiobooks for kids' road trips.
- For bedtime, audiobooks for bedtime.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best audiobook for a 6-year-old?
Is Roald Dahl suitable for a 6-year-old?
Will Aslan's death upset my child?
How long should chapters be for a 6-year-old?
Are there good nonfiction audiobooks for 6-year-olds?
Sources
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