45+ Spanish-Language Audiobooks for Kids (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) UPDATED August 2022
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Last week, I wrote about the value that audiobooks can bring to your language learning at home. In case you didn’t have a chance to read that post, here are three quick reasons why audiobooks deserve a place in your homeschool:
Audiobooks provide exposure to native speakers through authentic texts—that is, real language.
Audiobooks are an easy way to practice listening skills in a foreign language, without much prep needed from mom.
Audiobooks allow for a customized listening experience that is tailored to your child’s needs and interests.
Since I believe so strongly in the power of audiobooks for language learners, today, I’d love to share with you some of the audiobooks that we’ve been listening to with our boys in Spanish. Hopefully, your family will enjoy some of these as well!
If you’ve never used audiobooks before, you can try Audible.com for 30 days for free—and since each trial includes a free audiobook, you can try it out risk-free. And if you’d rather purchase books individually, you can do that as well—Audible does not require you to be a member in order to purchase its audiobooks.
By the way, I do find Audible to be the best source for Spanish-language audiobooks. The collections available on other services (Scribd, Hoopla, etc.) simply don’t compare—especially since Audible launched its Audible Latino service, which caters to bilingual listeners.
Since your children may be at different levels of language proficiency, I’ve organized this guide roughly by level—beginner, intermediate, and advanced (which includes native speakers). I’ve also tried to include some notes on the age-appropriateness of these books, to help you find the best match for your kids.
If you don’t know where to start, I suggest downloading some Spanish language audiobooks that are translations of books that your kids have already read (especially picture books)—that way, the story is not wholly unfamiliar to them. If your library has Spanish language materials available, I also recommend that you check out the books so that your kids can follow along as they listen. The text will act like “subtitles” to the audiobook—and consuming subtitled media is actually one of the most effective strategies for improving listening comprehension in a new language! If your library does not have a good selection of Spanish language books, never fear! I’ve included the links to print versions of these books so that you can read along with the narration.
And if you’re raising your children bilingually, simply match the books to the age of your child. The beginner books are generally for toddlers and preschoolers, the intermediate-level books are for preschoolers and above, and the advanced books are geared towards elementary-aged students.
For Beginning Spanish Learners
Buenas noches, luna (Spanish) — Why not begin your Spanish audiobook journey with one of the most popular children’s books ever published? The language is just as soothing and rhythmic in Spanish as it is in English, and this audiobook is narrated slowly enough to follow along with a physical book.
Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? (Spanish) — While toddlers love the repetition of this book, Spanish students of any age will be helped to learn animal names from it. Note that the Spanish recording of this audiobook is available as part of the English language book; the Spanish recording starts at the 10:43 timestamp.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Spanish) — Another hit with the preschool crowd, this book reinforces colors for Spanish learners of any age. Read it along with the picture book to activate the visual-auditory connections in your child’s brain. Again, the Spanish recording is a part of the English language book, so be sure that’s what you purchase. The Spanish narration begins at 7:27.
The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations (Bilingual) —This has been a favorite in our family's Poetry Teatimes. With short, seasonal poems that use simple vocabulary, you can use this anthology to introduce your children to the beauty of Spanish language poetry (and easily refer to the English language translations to help with comprehension).
Maria Had a Little Llama/María Tenía una llamita (Bilingual) — This sweet, bicultural version of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” is set in the Andes, with llamas substituting lambs. It starts with a reading of the classic rhyme in English, followed up with narration in Spanish, so this is a great option for kids who are still getting used to listening to Spanish.
El pez pucheros (Spanish) — This is one audiobook that we have listened to over and over in our household. The narrator is excellent! I love his performance of the Pout-Pout Fish’s sad refrain: “Soy un pez pucheros…” In fact, I find myself repeating it often to cheer up my cranky kids! Now I know why this book has become a modern family favorite, in both languages!
For Intermediate Spanish Learners
Clifford, The Big Red Dog (Spanish) — The children’s classic, now in Spanish. The simple vocabulary and syntax of this story, while more sophisticated than the “beginner” books above, construct a narrative that is just right for true intermediate Spanish students. Plus, what child doesn’t relish the idea of having their own enormous, goofy, and very red dog?
La semillita (Spanish) — For families who love the outdoors and learning about nature (which I think includes pretty much every child…), La semillita is a gentle introduction to the life cycle of seeds. This is a great book to listen to as part of your nature study—it coordinates wonderfully with basic botany lessons.
Five-Minute Children’s Stories (Spanish) — These are classic fairy tales, retold in Spanish, that would be suitable for preschoolers who have had significant exposure to Spanish and for older students who have been studying the language for at least two years. They all clock in at five minutes each, so while they do use more sophisticated language than the other books in this category, their length helps keep children from being overwhelmed. Moreover, the five-minute time limit means that kids can listen to them over and over, which can aid significantly in comprehension.
The Boxcar Children (Spanish) — My adventure- and mystery-loving child can’t get enough of this classic children’s series—and I love that he’s spending his daily rest time listening to these books in Spanish! If you’ve ever read The Boxcar Children in English, you know that the language isn’t terribly difficult, so I would say that these books are likely accessible for intermediate or high-intermediate Spanish speakers (think a high schooler with two years under his belt). Five Boxcar children books are available as Spanish-language audiobooks: The Boxcar Children (Book 1), The Island of Surprises (Book 2), The Mystery of the Yellow House (Book 3), The Ranch of Mystery (Book 4), and The Mystery of Mike (Book 5).
For Advanced Spanish Learners
Your Biblia Album (Spanish)—These dramatized Bible stories will be a delight to Christian families who want to combine religious education with language learning. The professional actors who perform these stories will capture your child’s attention with their engaging delivery and lead them towards a deeper knowledge of the narrative of Scripture. There are eight volumes in all, covering the Old Testament to the New. (No print version)
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The Tale of the Mischievous Peter Rabbit (Spanish) — Peter Rabbit, or Perico el Conejito, is as beloved in our family as he likely is in yours. This Spanish language version of Beatrix Potter’s classic tale is narrated beautifully by Marina Clyo, whose clear enunciation and dramatic reading make the story a pleasure to listen to. Clyo has narrated a number of other Potter tales, which we also own, including The Tale of Two Bad Mice and The Story of Benjamin Rabbit. (Anthology of all Potter stories available here)
Puss in Boots and Cinderella (Spanish) — My elementary schoolers love these well-narrated translations of the Charles Perrault classics, which run between 20-30 minutes each . These are must-have for any Charlotte Mason homeschool and if you’re looking to expand your collection of classic stories, these narrators also perform Little Red Riding Hood, Aesop’s Fables, Hansel and Gretel, Aladdin, Tom Thumb, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty in Spanish.
The Best Brothers’ Grimm Stories (Spanish) — For older children who are proficient in Spanish—and can handle some gruesome endings—the Brothers’ Grimm stories are a literary classic that shouldn’t be missed. I’ll be honest about this one: my five-year-old isn’t ready to hear these tales, but I enjoyed listening to them! Advanced Spanish students are the best audience for this collection, which includes some of the most famous fairy tales transcribed by the Brothers Grimm. While some may find the narrator initially difficult to follow, as she has a fairly thick Spanish (peninsular) accent, I encourage you to press on and use the “repeat” button as needed! Learning to listen to different accents is an important skill to develop for Spanish learners, so it’s worth the extra effort.
Harry Potter Series (Spanish) — Performed by the famed Puerto Rican actor Carlos Ponce, the Spanish-language audiobooks of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series have lost nothing in translation. I’ve listened to these myself and adore them—the voice acting is truly superb.
In addition to the first seven books of the series, Audible has a number of other Potter-related books now available in Spanish, including:
Sherlock Holmes: un escándalo en Bohemia (Spanish) — For the child who loves mysteries, this short story is a great translation of one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic Sherlock Holmes tales. We listened to this one on a longer car ride and I enjoyed it myself as well!
Paddington Bear 2 (Spanish) — For the child who is new to audiobooks, it can be helpful to start with a familiar story. That’s what we did with this audiobook, which we purchased for my second-born after he had seen the movie. He was more than happy to relieve Paddington’s antics while listening to this book. Note: These are not the original Paddington stories, but a novelization of the movie.
Coco, La novela (Spanish) — Another dramatized version of a Disney film, this was a hit with my kids!
Gerónimo Stilton: Las aventuras más morrocotudas 1 (Spanish) — This anthology of the hugely popular Gerónimo Stilton books includes the first six books of the series, so it’s a great value—over five hours of listening for only one Audible credit. Once your children finish, they can enjoy the second Gerónimo Stilton collection, which includes five more novels!
20.000 mil leguas de viaje submarino (Spanish) — This abridged version of Jules Vernes’ classic adventure tale clocks in at only about 90 minutes, but it is irresistible for children obsessed with exploration and discovery (or marine life).
La vuelta al mundo en 80 días (Spanish) — Another classic by Jules Verne, this book is also abridged, though it provides plenty of entertainment at nearly six hours long. Ignite your child’s desire to explore the world with this one!
La Eneida contada a los niños (Spanish) — I first discovered Rosa Navarro Durán’s child-friendly adaptations of classic literature for children at our local library, and soon after discovered their accompanying audiobooks—which I snatched up right away! My oldest has already listened to this adaptation of The Aeneid for fun, but we’ll also be listening to it as a family as we cycle through ancient history this upcoming school year.
La Odisea contada a los niños (Spanish) — Like the above title, we’ve already listened to this audiobook, but we’ll revisit it again as part of our ancient history studies.
El niño que domó el viento (Spanish) — This popular book is a story of true grit and creative determination, telling how one Malawian boy saved his family from famine by learning how to build windmills. FYI, this book is generally recommended for older kids (10+).
Wonder: la lección de August (Spanish) — I really enjoyed the movie Wonder when it came out, so I was happy to buy this audiobook for my oldest son to listen to this year. He was a fan as well!
Misterios a domicilio (Spanish) — My oldest was really into mysteries last year, so I did my best to find Spanish-language ones that he could listen to. This was one of the winners, featuring a team of sibling detectives resolving various silly “mysteries.” And best of all, it’s a series, so we were able to get books 1-6 to keep him busy for a good while!
