Check out some of my recommendations for spectacular summer listening on your trip.
Ages 8 and younger:
THE GREAT CAKE MYSTERY by Alexander McCall Smith
Read by Adjoa Andoh (Listening Library) 1 hr.
The heroine of Alexander McCall Smith’s popular series becomes accessible to the younger set with this charming story which won the 2013 Audies Award for children's titles up to age 8. Precious Ramotswe dreamed of becoming a detective when she was a child, and her sharp sleuthing skills are clear in this story of her first case. Adjoa Andoh brings Precious, and the land of Botswana, to life with her entertaining narration. At only an hour long, a great little mystery for younger children who may not be able to sit through a long narration.
KNUFFLE BUNNY by Mo Willems
Read by Mo Willems, Cheryl Willems, Trixie Willems (Weston Woods) 7 min.
A 2007 Audies Award winner and one of my favorite picture books, this is a wonderful choice for youngsters. As she walks down the sidewalk with her dad past the park and school and into the Laundromat where they load the family's dirty clothes into the machine, Trixie doesn't miss a thing. Her father does, and therein comes the fun. Audio doesn’t get more authentic than having the real-life characters themselves narrate their own story. Just as her character does in the book, toddler Trixie Willems’s voice steals the show from her parents. Children and parents will love hearing the real-life family dynamic unfold in this short audio and want to listen over and over.
AMELIA BEDELIA: Audio Collection Volume 2 by Peggy Parish
Read by Suzanne Toren. (Harper Children's Audio) 1.5 hrs.
This Playaway audio is perfect for kindergarteners and grade school students who want to enjoy some silly laughs independently. Amelia gets into her usual mixed-up antics in this collection of 6 stories. Especially perfect for the summer months is Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping. Amelia has never been camping in the great outdoors before and she's trying her best to do exactly as she's told, but pitching a tent is not the same as throwing it into the bushes! Kids will love the messes she gets herself into on this camping adventure.
Ages 8-12:
SAME SUN HERE by Silas House, Neela Vaswani
This author narrated audiobook won the 2013 Audies Award for excellence in audiobooks for children ages 8-12. Silas House portrays River, a Kentucky coal miner's son, and Neela Vaswani portrays Meena, an immigrant girl from India who is living in New York's Chinatown. The two children become pen pals who write actual paper letters because Meena has access to email only through her local library's computers. They discover common ground and relate to each other on their problems and experiences, realizing that although they live in very different parts of the world, they are friends under the very same sun.
THE FREEDOM MAZE by Delia Sherman
Read by Robin Miles (Listening Library) 8.5 hrs.
A 2013 Audies Award Finalist, this story blends historical fiction with the fantastical as you are transported to the antebellum South with 13-year old Sophie. Spending the summer at her grandmother's house on a former sugarcane plantation, Sophie is searching for an adventure. She soon finds herself transported into the past, into a time of slavery, racism and struggle. Sophie meets many characters in this new time and place, some who will be helpful and others who will hinder her as she grows and learns from her experiences in this time-travel story.
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ by L. Frank Baum
Read by Brooke Shields (Listening Library) 4.5 hrs.
All ages will enjoy listening to this classic story! Dorothy thinks that she is lost forever when a horrifying tornado crashes through Kansas, whisking her and her canine companion, Toto, far away to the magical land of Oz. She meets some friends along the way and together they embark on an enchanting adventure. A great choice for children who may not have been exposed to the original stories but are familiar with the various film adaptations. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is also available on a Playaway for more independent listening!
Don't forget that this week is the first week you can come in and sign up for our summer reading program! When you sign up you will receive a cool backpack full of all the materials you need to read towards awesome prizes this summer. Time spent listening to audiobooks and Playaways counts towards prizes too! Summer reading at the Grafton-Midview Public Library runs from June 10th through July 20th. Happy travels and I hope you enjoy some of these road trip friendly audio choices!