Summer Reading List: Top Audiobooks for Teenagers with ADHD

Looking for a thrilling summer read? Enter the world of the Sinclairs, a wealthy and beautiful family with dark secrets lurking beneath the surface. We Were Liars, narrated by a multi-person cast, will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to unravel the mystery of a deadly detention in One of Us Is Lying, also with a full cast of voice talent. For a heartwarming coming-of-age story, listen to Lin Manuel Miranda narrate the Texas-set Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, while Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X, read by the author herself, tells the story of a Dominican-American teen finding her voice. A List of Cages by Robin Roe, voiced by Graham Halstead and Christopher Gebauer, explores the challenges faced by a ninth grader with dyslexia and secrets at home. Finally, the multi-person cast of narrators in They Both Die At the End, a New York Times bestseller, is perfect for those looking for humor, heart, and originality. Keep your mind engaged this summer with these great audiobooks!

A retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai, These Violent Delights is chock full of romance, tension, and bloodshed. In this version, Juliette, of the Scarlet gang, and Roma, of the White Flowers gang, have already experienced love at first sight and the worst-ever breakup. At the start of the story, they are bitter rivals feuding for rule of the city. That is, until a common enemy joins them together. Unlike the source material, this story’s cast is diverse, including characters of all races and ethnicities as well as those who identify as LGBTQ+. Narrator Cindy Kay brings them all to life with a vivacious reading that teens will love enough to tune into the sequel.

The first feminist dystopian novel that paved the way for all the rest, Margaret Atwood’s novel has been popular since its publication in 1985, but it enjoyed a resurgence of popularity following the 2017 introduction of its TV adaption. After a theocratic revolution overthrows the government, women are stripped of all their rights. Amid widespread infertility, the women who can become pregnant are forced to become handmaids, and bear the children of wealthy and powerful men. Celebrity Claire Danes narrates the chilling story of Offred, a handmaid who dares to break the rules.

Fantasy lovers, get ready to lose yourself in the enthralling world known to fans as the Grisha-verse. The first book of a trilogy, Shadow and Bone follows Alina, a soldier fighting in the ever-raging war that made her an orphan. When Alina discovers, in an attempt to save her best friend, that she possesses magic, she finds herself dropped into a world of royalty, power, and secrets. Action-packed and thrilling, this fantasy phenomenon is voiced by Lauren Fortgang, who has voiced all of Leigh Bardugo’s many fantasy reads.

Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson’s groundbreaking novel about a high school girl who is the victim of sexual assault, made waves when it was published in 1999. Two decades later, Anderson published  Shout, a memoir about her own experience with sexual assault and the trauma it caused in her life. Anderson’s book is written in verse, the powerful, lyrical language made even more impactful when readers hear it spoken by Anderson’s own voice.

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Books don’t typically compete with the fast pace, easy excitement, and instant gratification of TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube — especially for ADHD brains that crave stimulation. Many teens who struggle with print, whether because of dyslexia or another learning difference, would rather scrub the bathroom than crack open a work of literature. That’s where audiobooks fit in.

Far from the dry “books on tape” of yesteryear, new audiobooks come to life with high production values, celebrity narrators, and often a multi-person cast of voice talent. Readers have noticed the improvement, and they are riding the audio wave in record numbers: the most recent report from the Audio Publishers Association shows that sales have increased by double digits each year for 10 straight years. Among the most popular genres are fantasy, science fiction, and mystery — all hugely popular with a teen audience. What’s more, audiobooks can bolster reading skills, according to recent research, including a study published in Journal of Neuroscience, which found that the brain responded the same way to content, whether read or heard. Long story short: audiobooks are worth a look — or, rather, a listen.

So, we’ve compiled a list of 10 terrific audiobooks that will rivet young adult readers. Spanning fantasy, historical fiction, dystopian lit, love stories, and murder mysteries, every book on our list features voice actors who powerfully conjure the story, drawing in even the most resistant teen.