We have a long road trip coming up, and a while ago, someone on the board posted that they listen to audio books as a family on long road trips. Can you make some suggestions for me?
Kids are 6 and 10. We all (parents and kids) enjoyed the Harry Potter series and the Percy Jackson series. So, maybe something along those lines (but not those since we've all already read them).
Ideas?
Don't rule out an audio version of a book you've already read and liked.
Audio books provide a different experience than reading them. I've read my favorite book countless times since I was a preteen, and yet when I listened to the audiobook as an adult it ended up being an enriching experience because it put emphasis on things I hadn't paid close attention to before. It was almost like a new story.
Slightly different than an audiobook, I would recommend the "Wee Sing" series (try "Wee Sing Silly Songs"). A bunch of fun songs that the whole family can sing along to and a book of lyrics is included.
Series of Unfortunate Events! And anything by Roald Dahl.
Family friendly podcasts are super fun to listen to also. Our family likes to listen to both audio books and podcasts on road trips. There are so many good podcasts. Our kids (ages 7 and 12) enjoy Brains On, Prairie Home Companion, The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified, and Stories Alive, Radiolab, The Thrilling Adventure Hour. They also like Welcome to Nightvale, but I imagine a lot of people would think this one is too weird. I also love This American Life but a few of them are not super kid appropriate...my kids love the ones that I let them listen to.
Maze Runner. Gamma, you can look around while listening to an audio book. It's like watching a DVD, but you don't have to look at the screen, so the driver also gets to enjoy it.
it's nice that all of you like the same books! i loved audio books with the boys when they were still driving all over creation and back with me, but my husband likes different sorts of books.
have you done the golden compass series? if you liked HP and PJ, they'll probably appeal. and go for the classics too- the narnia series, anne of green gables and so forth.
you might lose the 6 year old, but the homer classics read by gandalf are stupendous audio experiences.
i was less enamored with the hunger games series than the rest of the world, but they're probably something your kids would like.
my kids LOVE oryx and crake by margaret atwood. it's a terrific book read or listened to, but it's dark.
if an occasional strong word is tolerable, a walk in the woods by bill bryson is more fun than a bag of rabbits. make sure to get the one narrated by bill himself. there's a subsequent version read by someone else that falls totally flat.
:) khairete
S.
Brandon Mull's Fablehaven series (5 books) and Beyonders series (3 books--and by far my favorite stories of his; the characters are awesome!) were both fantastic for family road trips. The stories are enjoyable for adults and kids, and the readers for both of those series are two of the best audio book narrators I've ever heard. For both, even after hours (as in, 7 plus) in the car, when we arrived at our destinations, no one wanted to get out because we were so caught up in the stories.
Huck Finn. Tom Sawyer?
*I loved reading all the HP's aloud to the kids, that was so exciting.
Might be a bit young but you can't go wrong with the audio Little Jackie Paper Puff the Magic Dragon. Short and cute, great song!
Charlottes Web. Beatrix Potter. The Indian in the Cupboard.
When they get older you can slowly phase in some light Stephen King, we did an audio on a train trip that was fantastically lightly spooky!
We are totally geeky-funny and want all the School House Rock type stuff from our youth like the 'I'm only a bill, sitting on Capitol Hill' songs compiled in one audio file for the car and the kids!
~Dont forget to break up the reading with theintroduction to all the classic music from the past, I totally hold the hostage while they're in the car & introduce as much eclectic genres and all my faves! LOL!
Mine are 6 and 9 and we just did a long road trip. Some of the audio books we heard, or checked out but didn't end up having time for:
Goony Bird series (Lois Lowry)
Harriet the Spy
The Year of Billy Miller
Because of Winn Dixie
Because of Mr Terrupt
Holes
How to Eat Fried Worms
The Genius Files series
I know we had more, but that's what I remember right now. Andrew Clements books are great and you would probably enjoy those too.
My kids loved Brian Jacques' books (Redwall) and there are audio books. Great adventure stories.
I don't know, I think I'd rather be looking around and enjoying the trip rather than having to sit quietly and listen for hours. I'd rather watch a DVD or play some games or some other activity where I could enjoy the trip.
Roald Dahl is a good suggestion. Some of his more popular books are pretty long so an audio version is good.
The Tale of Desperaux is good, we read the book, but I'm sure there's an audio. What about Ramona books or The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing?
