Here are a few of our personal favorites:
We started in the first grade with E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. If you want to be forever hooked on audio books this is a great place to start. The barnyard simply comes alive. White’s descriptions of the farm and the surrounding countryside paint a picture clearer than any cartoon, incredibly vibrant with color and activity. My son and I listened together in the car, stimulating ideas and conversations and resulting in a bonding I had not expected. We continue to listen together to this day and he is now in the 9th grade.
Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo was my personal favorite. I was reluctant to try it because I was not a fan of the movie, but we had listened to Because of Winn Dixie and had really enjoyed it. Surprisingly, Despereaux is a literal feast for your ears. The author addresses the “listener” directly in a magical moment that is very intimate. Light is a character and the entire work is enchanting even beyond the realm of children’s literature.
The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles is read to you by Sandra Dunkin. Anyone old enough to have watched Charlie’s Angels will be sold already. This is not just an American baseball story. The characters are incredibly endearing and difficult subjects of life and death are addressed amid references to Walt Witman’s poetry. We listen to this story every baseball season.
Artemis Fowl is a series of 8 books, recommended for grades 4 to 8. On audio, younger students can access it and I know as an adult I loved every minute of all eight books. Artemis is an anti-hero who undergoes a personal transformation amid fairies, centaurs, and dwarves. These novels can occupy hours of time as you traverse the landscape of Artemis’ world. The first movie is due to be released from Disney Studios on May 29th so this would be a great series to delve into. I can also recommend every book that Eoin Colfer writes, including The Wish List, Supernaturalist, and Airman.
In a recent journey into historical fiction, my son and I listened to A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen. In this story a family is divided when the Berlin wall is erected overnight. It depicts one family’s attempt to become reunited. Although fictional, the account immerses the listener squarely into the conflict. I was so wrapped up in these characters I was grateful we had a number of long drives that month!
We are particular about our audio books. The quality is very important, as is the reader. We have not listened to classics that we know we love because the audio did not appeal to us. If you do not fall in love with the reader, try another version or stop listening. In our house these books are our entertainment and a special time for mother and son. If the quality of the production does not make you feel like you are drinking an excellent cup of coffee with your best friend, try again.
List of audio books I recommend:
- 5 Kingdoms* (Brandon Mull)
- 39 Clues* (various, including Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Patrick Carman, Linda Sue Park, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Roland Smith, David Baldacci, Jeff Hirsch, Natalie Standiford, C. Alexander London, Sarwat Chadda and Jenny Goebel)
- 100 Cupboards (a little scary) (N.D. Wilson)
- A Night Divided (Jennifer A. Nielsen)
- Airman (Eoin Colfer)
- Artemis Fowl* (Eoin Colfer)
- Aurora County All Stars (Deborah Wiles)
- Because of Winn Dixie (Kate DiCamillo)
- Bunnicula* (James Howe, Deborah Howe)
- Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)
- Despereaux (Kate DiCamillo)
- Five Children and It (Edith Nesbit)
- Freak the Mighty (Rodman Philbrick)
- Fudge (some disrespect)* (Judy Blume)
- Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)
- Hero (Jennifer Li Schotz)
- Holes (Louis Sachar)
- How to Eat Fried Worms (Thomas Rockwell)
- Indian In the Cupboard* (Lynne Reid Banks)
- Joshua Dread* (Lee Bacon)Penderwicks* (Jeanne Birdsall)
- Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)
- Rats of NIMH (Robert C. O’Brien and Jane Leslie Conly)
- Supernaturalist (Eoin Colfer)
- View from Sunday (E. L. Konigsburg)
- Watership Down (Richard Adams)
- Wings of Fire* (Tui T. Sutherland)
- Wish List (Eoin Colfer)\
- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* (Douglas Adams, Eoin Colfer, Thomas Tidholm
- Spy School* (Stuart Gibbs)
- The Beyonders* (Brandon Mull)
- The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel* ( Michael Scott)
Many audio books can be borrowed from your local library. You will need the Overdrive or Libby app on your phone, tablet or computer, and a library card with the internet access enabled. You can collect library cards and have access to more than one library collection. You can also invest in paid audio book apps like Audible and ChirpBooks. These apps sometimes offer free audiobooks; Audible even has originals you may not find elsewhere. Do the work it takes to get this started and then gather warm blankets and spend time with your kids. Or simply use the time in the car more constructively by listening together during long trips. Discuss the vocabulary and quiz their comprehension by having conversations about the character and the plot. Discuss how the characters are acting and compare them to your own values. How are decisions being made? How would you or your child do something differently - or the same? Ultimately, these shared experiences will result in building and strengthening aspects of your relationship that you could not have foreseen. Reading together is a lot like going on an adventure, giving you shared experiences and quotes from these books you’ll grow to love. Do you have books you already enjoy and would like to recommend? Let us know - we are always looking!
