Books and Audiobooks Before a Family Trip

<p>Books are one of the easiest ways to get children curious about where you're going, and audiobooks can carry a family through a long drive. This guide covers how to choose stories by age and destination, how library apps can help, how to make sure downloads actually work offline, and how to keep listening volumes safe.</p>

Last reviewed: November 2026. Library app information is from Libby’s own help page “What is Libby?” (updated April 2026). Listening advice is from the World Health Organization’s safe listening Q&A, and motion sickness advice from the NHS (reviewed June 2023). We don’t recommend specific titles here, because what’s available differs by library, country and language.

Before a trip, children often have only a vague idea of where they’re going. A picture book about the sea, a story set in a big city or a chapter book about castles can turn “we’re going to Spain” into something they can imagine. And on the way there, an audiobook can keep a whole car quiet for an hour. This guide covers both: books to build excitement before you leave, and audio to fill the journey.

Quick answer

• Start early. A few weeks before the trip, read books set in or about your destination, or about the kind of trip you’re taking.
• Use the library. Libby says all you need to get started with its app is a library card, and that you can borrow ebooks, audiobooks and magazines from public libraries.
• Download before you go. Libby says you can download titles to read or listen to without a connection. Do it at home on Wi-Fi.
• Audio for car journeys. For children prone to motion sickness, the NHS advises against reading, watching films or using devices. Listening is an alternative to try.
• Keep the volume down. The WHO suggests keeping personal audio below 60% of maximum volume.

Before the trip: books that build excitement

You don’t need a book about your exact destination. Think about what your child will see and do there.

Older children may enjoy non-fiction: a children’s guidebook, a map they can mark, or a history book about a place you’ll visit. Ask them to find three things they want to see. See our guide to letting kids plan the family vacation.

Step-by-step checklist by age

Borrowing for free: library apps

Many families buy audiobooks for a trip, but your library may already have them. Libby, the app from OverDrive, describes itself on its help page as a free app for borrowing ebooks, audiobooks and magazines from public libraries. According to that page:

• You need a library card to get started.
• You can stream or download. Stream over Wi-Fi or mobile data, or download titles for offline use.
• Your library sets the rules, including how long you can borrow a title and how many you can borrow at once.
• Titles are returned automatically on their due date.

That last point matters on holiday. If a loan ends halfway through the trip, the audiobook may disappear mid-chapter. Check the due dates before you leave, and borrow close to your departure. Popular titles may have waiting lists, so place holds well ahead.

Libby’s help page doesn’t say how the app works outside your library’s country, so check with your library if you’ll be abroad for a long time. Other library apps exist too; ask your library which it uses.

Making sure downloads actually work

1. Download at home on Wi-Fi, a few days before you leave.
2. Test in flight mode. Turn on flight mode and play a few minutes of each title.
3. Check storage. Audiobooks can be large. Delete old downloads first.
4. Use one device per child if you can, so siblings aren’t fighting over the same tablet.
5. Bring chargers and a power bank. See our guide to power banks on family flights.
6. Check the headphones work with the device, and bring a splitter if two children will share.

For more on offline content, see our guide to screen time on flights and offline downloads.

Listening safely

The WHO’s safe listening advice for personal audio devices suggests keeping the volume below 60% of the maximum, using well-fitting or noise-cancelling headphones so you don’t need to turn the volume up, and giving your ears regular breaks. It also suggests choosing devices with safe listening features.

In the car, playing an audiobook through the speakers avoids headphones altogether and lets the whole family listen. For headphones, see our guides to wired vs Bluetooth headphones for toddlers and noise-cancelling headphones for kids aged 6 to 12.

Audiobooks and car journeys

For children who get carsick, the NHS advises not reading, watching films or using electronic devices, and not looking at moving objects such as passing cars. An audiobook through the car speakers lets them listen while looking ahead. See our carsickness guide and our guide to long car journeys with kids.

Choose stories everyone can tolerate. A series that works for a six-year-old and a ten-year-old, and that the adults don’t mind, is worth more than a perfect title for one child.

Common mistakes and real-world scenarios

• Downloading at the airport. Airport Wi-Fi can be slow. Download at home.
• A loan that expires mid-trip. Check the due date.
• Only one device. Siblings will want different stories at the same time.
• Volume creeping up to drown out engine noise. Noise-cancelling headphones help; so does a regular check.
• Books in the hold. Keep a paper book or two in hand luggage for when devices run out.
• Choosing for the child. Let them pick some titles, so they look forward to them.

Shopping by category

These Amazon searches cover a few useful items: children’s travel and world books, screen-free audio players for kids, volume-limited headphones and headphone splitters. We haven’t tested these products and don’t rank them.

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