Susan in TN Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Our 6 kids are between 11mo and 14yrs and are NOT accustomed to listening to books on tape, but they love a good story. We will have a total of 4 days of driving on our trip to and from grandma and grandpa's, so I'm looking for 3 or 4 good books that will appeal to a wide range of listeners. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 We all have enjoyed Hank the Cowdog books on road trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 We've loved the Focus on the Family radio theater of Chronicles of Narnia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meet me in paris Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 A Series of Unfortunate Events is great, especially the ones narrated by Tim Curry. Anything narrated by Jim Dale is also wonderful. If you're not a HP fan, than I would suggest Peter and the Starcatchers (a sort of prequel series to Peter Pan) and he also is narrating the new Winnie the Pooh book that just came out. He's mesmerizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhM Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Don't know if it would be too young for your kids, but we've found Andrew Clement's books to be very listen-able. We also enjoyed Redwall books - mostly because of the reader's (was it the author?) accent. :) Some other books we've liked on tape - Shakespeare Stealer series, Dickens (except for a "dramatized" Tale of Two Cities - that was a flop), Little House on the Prairie, Cricket in Times Square, Narnia series. We haven't tried any Tolkien, but I bet he would be good, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhM Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 We've loved the Focus on the Family radio theater of Chronicles of Narnia. The Adventures in Odyssey series are great, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacquelyn in NC Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Peter Jackson and the Olympians was hit with my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) I was going to suggest the BBC version of the Narnia books! There was another thread about the different versions of Narnia awhile ago. I think the consensus was that they were all good. I'm pretty sure they're all dramatized--not straight read-throughs of the story. So, there are sound effects and music. They are true to the story and entertaining. There are also radio versions of Star Wars, The Empire Stikes Back and Return of the Jedi. They're old, because they were around before the newest batch of movies came out. My husband downloaded them from somewhere onto an ipod and we listen to those. If you search for star wars radio drama I'm sure you'll find them. They were very entertaining to listen to. And the story is in more depth than the movies. We love listening to them. If you like Harry Potter at your house, those are good to listen to, too. Edited December 11, 2009 by Garga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) A Single Shard is an all time favorite audio book here (it's a bit of drama so might be best to wait till the youngest is older?) but James and the Giant Peach and Kate DiCamillo's Tale of Desperaux were really fun and kept my listener's attentions. I also found my reading a story helped to at first. Talking slowly through the story line, drawing them in and then! after a while of exhausting the toys they were ready to listen. At first start, car trips are exciting. Later is when you need em'. Kwim? Edited December 11, 2009 by momee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Harry Potter so far. Going to try The Hobbit on our Christmas trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen_OK Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 We've loved the Focus on the Family radio theater of Chronicles of Narnia. We love that one too. Also, we used to check out tapes for the Boxcar Children from the library. I don't know if they're still available. Those might be more appropriate for the younger ones. If you don't mind cassettes, I saw some for Anne of Green Gables really cheap on Library and Educational Services website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktkcb Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 TOTALLY ditto this!! Our narnia series by FOF has been listened to on nearly every car trip. Still. Even now that my oldest is 18 and youngest is 13. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Esio Trot and the Min Pins (may've spelled that wrong) by Roald Dahl. The kids were completely engrossed in both stories. We also really enjoyed Ralph S. Mouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 We loved the Wrinkle in Time series narrated by Madeleine L'Engle. We've also enjoyed The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Judy Blum's Pain and the Great One books, King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry, The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo and a variety of others. Even if the kids don't love the entire story, usually there is something that they find engaging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 On a long car trip we listened to Mildred Taylor's The Land, and dh was so mad at me because he got so into the story he missed a turn and we ended up in Moses Lake. It is a great story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 The Tale of Desperaux is our all-time favorite audio book here (adults included) ~ the narrator is a British actor who does the most amazing accents and characterizations. (The book is VERY different from the movie, BTW, and the audio book is a million times better than the film.) Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Half Magic by Edward Eager is a delightful story to listen to. We've also enjoyed the Little House on the Prairie books and Anne of Green Gables. Another idea is the Jim Weiss CD's that have shorter stories. Oh, once we got a great one with short Knight stories--I'll have to look and see if I can figure out which one that was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Narnia covers a wide age span of attention. I have never regretted buying the whole set of cds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Years ago we took a trip from CA to ID and listened to Focus on the Family's Odyssey series. It was so suspenseful that the adults didn't want to turn off the CD player and we ended up having lunch in the car with the engine running... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Our favorites: Focus on the Family's dramatizations of Anne of Green Gables and Little Women (my oldest 4 are girls so this list is "girl heavy" LOL) The Penderwicks Little House on the Prairie series Jim Dale reading Peter Pan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammaruss Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Rascall by Sterling North --fun, fun, fun! The Roman Mysteries Series by Caroline Lawrence--historical novels. http://www.romanmysteries.com/pages/50-Home_Page The Kingdom Series by Chuck Black http://perfect-praise.com/index_files/Page266.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Series of Unfortunate Events series Harry Potter By the Great Horn Spoon Ramona (all) Mr. Poppers Penguins All Andrew Clements Emilys Runaway Imagination Mrs Piggle Wiggle Penderwicks Spiderwick Fudge books Bear Called Paddington Charlotte's Web Could you do a few picture books on cd for the younger ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConnieB Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Some of our favorites that haven't been mentioned yet: Peter and the Starcatchers series by Ridley Pearson The Neverland series also by Ridley Pearson Anything by Andrew Clement (shorter books but very very funny) Mary Poppins series - most people don't realize there is more than 1 book...not all are on audio, but start with the audio ones for the trip and move to the non-audio for read alouds at home. Very interesting for kids who are familiar with the Disney movie to read/listen to the original book as it's QUITE different. Story of the World series by our own Susan Bauer are told in such a wonderful story-like manner that they work wonderful as a preview or review of history. Another author that everything he's recorded is excellent: Jim Weiss Most of his are short stories or a series of stories on a single CD, so you'd need quite a few of these for a long trip....but for kids who aren't used to listening to audiobooks, or with much age difference in the kids, it might be a good choice. Then if a certain story doesn't appeal to one kid you can always remind them another story is coming up soon. With as large of an age spread as you have this could be important so as not to bore any age group, lol. You might also just stop by your library and browse their audio collection (since most libraries keep the audios all together instead of integrating them in with the book-books). A hint...pick up several audios, even if you know they'd all take longer than your trip....that way if you find you really aren't enjoying something you can easily change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Anything by Richard Peck. These are great for all ages (grown-ups included), are often poignant, and always make you laugh out loud. He's a wonderful, hilarious storyteller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I agree with SOTW. We listen to them over and over. Also agree with Narnia. All ages love it. Little House series as well. For this time of year A Christmas Carol especially the one read by Patrick Stewart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 The Hobbit - unabridged and when read by an Englishman. One of the first books-on-tape we ever listened to and kept us ALL spellbound for the entire book. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 Wow - thanks everyone! I'm heading off to our library "on-line catalog" to see what they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 On a long car trip we listened to Mildred Taylor's The Land, and dh was so mad at me because he got so into the story he missed a turn and we ended up in Moses Lake. It is a great story! Love it! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 (edited) Every age group in my family-- from adult to older 'worldly' teen to little kid had great fun with this: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oddsbodkin4 It's a very interesting telling, but it can also sound silly-- great for laughs-- but all around fun and interesting. (And educational! lol) Odds doesn't do a great female voice. ;) We all loved it! Edited December 13, 2009 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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