Road Trip Audiobooks

By NANCY EAMES, YOUTH SERVICES COORDINATOR

Get excited about your family road trip this summer because I have a secret weapon that will make the journey even more enjoyable: audiobooks!

Whether you’re driving across the country or just a few hours away, audiobooks are the perfect companion for any road trip.

In addition to being entertaining, audiobooks are great for kids. According to the Audio Publishers Association, audiobooks help “build and enhance vital literacy skills such as fluency, vocabulary, language acquisition, pronunciation, phonemic awareness, and comprehension—skills that often boost reading scores.”

I was eager to introduce my young children (ages 4 and 6) to the joys of audiobooks. I started with short familiar stories. We listened to James Marshall’s fairy tales which were the perfect length of just 8-10 minutes. Then we tried some short chapter books. I looked for books with chapters that could stand alone in case they didn’t quite follow the thread of a longer story. Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad books, read by the author, were perfect.  

The right narrator is so important. Wedgie and Gizmo, by Suzanne Selfors with alternating narrators Johnny Heller and Maxwell Glick, is hysterically funny for all ages. We’ve now listened to this book multiple times and enjoyed the sequels just as much. 

Lana Quintal perfectly voices kindergartner Junie B. Jones, without being annoying. There are lots of Junie B. books, and while it helps to listen to them in order, it’s not essential.

Another early chapter book with a perfect narrator is the Mercy Watson series, written by Kate DiCamillo and read by Ron McLarty. Mercy the pig is adored by her adopted parents Mr. and Mrs. Watson, loathed by her neighbor Eugenia Lincoln, and will do anything for hot buttered toast. 

Now that my kids are comfortable listening to short chapter books, they are ready for longer chapter books. Next in our queue: 

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (3:34) is a timeless story of a pig named Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte who saved his life. My first choice will always be the moving and eloquent version read by the author, E.B. White, who once confessed in an interview that it took him 17 takes to read the scene where Charlotte dies. A newer full-cast audiobook version is read by Meryl Streep.

The Ramona Quimby Audio Collection by Beverly Cleary (18:57), performed by Stockard Channing, includes all eight of the Ramona books. Spunky and inquisitive, Ramona handles the challenges of school and friendships.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (3:30) read by Graeme Malcolm. This is the story of Desperaux Tilling, a mouse in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl with a simple, impossible wish. What happens to these characters? Listeners, it is your destiny to find out. 

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey (1:00). This multi-cast audiobook is outrageously funny. The only thing fourth-graders George Beard and Harold Hutchins enjoy more than playing practical jokes is creating their own comic books. And together, they’ve created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school: Captain Underpants! 

So, buckle up and get ready for an unforgettable journey filled with adventure, laughter, and the magic of storytelling. With audiobooks, your family road trip will be an experience to remember! 

AUDIOBOOK IDEAS FOR OLDER KIDS

AGES 7-10

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home – and his own art – through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first – person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope.

Matilda [electronic Resource] by Roald Dahl

“The Trunchbull” is no match for Matilda!Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It’ll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!

When You Reach Me [spoken CD] by Rebecca Stead

As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, “The $20,000 Pyramid,” a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

One Crazy Summer : One Crazy Summer Series, Book 1. by Rita Williams-Garcia

Eleven-year-old Delphine and her younger sisters Vonetta and Fern travel to Oakland to meet their mother, Cecil, who abandoned their family years earlier. But even when Cecil gets them to her house, she shows no interest and seems to view them as nothing but a nuisance. Cecil’s cold, unloving attitude leaves the girls wishing for the mother-daughter connection they’ve never had. But Cecil acts remarkably different after she sees her daughters at the Black Panther rally, where they recite a poem Cecil herself had written. At that point, Cecil’s attitude toward her daughters begins a remarkable change.Rita Williams-Garcia has been a finalist for the National Book Award, and her novel One Crazy Summer was recognized as a New York Times Editor’s Choice. Narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson relates the story with the refreshing honesty of a tale told through young Delphine’s innocent eyes.

AGES 9-12

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars. Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute–she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan–and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother? This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and…

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever! This stunning debut novel offers refreshingly clear writing and fascinating, original characters.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Hugo and World Fantasy Award winner and New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman has written children’s books, graphic novels, novels for adults, and screenplays for major films. This young adult adventure features Bod, a boy raised in a graveyard by its undead inhabitants. As Bod grows older, he longs to experience life beyond his home among the tombstones and spirits-but there are things outside the realm of the cemetery more dangerous than anything Bod can imagine.

The Parker Inheritance by Johnson Varian

The Westing Game meets The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 in a stirring mystery of past and present, as two kids search for a place in their families, city, and country. The letter waits in a book, in a box, in an attic, in an old house in Lambert, South Carolina. It’s waiting for Candice Miller. When Candice finds the letter, she isn’t sure she should read it. It’s addressed to her grandmother, after all, who left Lambert in a cloud of shame. But the letter describes a young woman named Siobhan Washington. An injustice that happened decades ago. A mystery enfolding the letter-writer. And the fortune that awaits the person who solves the puzzle. Grandma tried and failed. But now Candice has another chance.So with the help of Brandon Jones, the quiet boy across the street, she begins to decipher the clues in the letter. The challenge will lead them deep into Lambert’s history, full of ugly deeds, forgotten heroes, and one great love; and deeper into their own families, with their own unspoken secrets. Can they find the fortune and fulfill the letter’s promise before the summer ends?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K Rowling

Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

Enter the world of ten-year-old Kenny and his family, the “weird” Watsons of Flint, Michigan. When Mom and Dad decide to visit Grandma, the Watsons head off to Birmingham, Alabama, where they witness a tragic historic event.

AGES 13 AND UP

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson, one of today’s finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become. Praise for Jacqueline Woodson:Ms. Woodson writes with a sure understanding of the thoughts of young people, offering a poetic, eloquent…

Hunger Games [electronic Resource] : The Hunger Games Series, Book 1. by Suzanne Collins

Emmy Award-winning actress Tatiana Maslany narrates a brand-new recording of the first audiobook in the worldwide bestselling trilogy from Suzanne Collins! Narrated by: Tatiana MaslanyRun time: 10 hours, 36 minutesIn the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Still, if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.This audiobook includes a bonus track Q&A with Tatiana Maslany!

One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus

The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. Pay close attention and you might solve this.On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app. Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.Cast of Narrators:Kim Mai Guest – Bronwyn Shannon McManus – Andy Robbie Daymond – NateMacleod Andrews – Cooper “An addictive, devour-in-one-sitting thriller with so many twists and turns you’ll be wondering until the very end: Who really killed Simon?”-Kara Thomas, author of The Darkest Corners and Little Monsters”This fast-paced blend of Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and classic John Hughes will leave readers racing to the finish as the try to unravel the mystery on their own.”-Kirkus Reviews”A smart, twisted, and unpredictable YA mystery that will have readers guessing until the very end.”-SLJ

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Eight Starred Reviews!”Absolutely riveting!” -Jason Reynolds”Stunning.” -John Green”This story is necessary. This story is important.” -Kirkus Reviews (starred review)”Heartbreakingly topical.” -Publishers Weekly (starred review)”A marvel of verisimilitude.” -Booklist (starred review)”A powerful, in-your-face novel.” -The Horn Book (starred review)Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does-or does not-say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds

Prepare yourself for something unlike anything for teens that viscerally captures what it is to be Black. In America. Right Now. Written and performed by #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds. Featuring a bonus performance of the text by an ensemble of young voices. Jason Reynolds and his best bud, Jason Griffin had a mind-meld. And they decided to tackle it, in one fell swoop, this piece, this contemplation-manifesto-fierce-vulnerable-gorgeous-terrifying-WhatIsWrongWithHumans-hope-filled-hopeful-searing-Eye-Poppingly-Illustrated-tender-heartbreaking-how-The-HECK-did-They-Come-UP-with-This project about oxygen. And all of the symbolism attached to that word, especially NOW. And so for anyone who didn’t really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations , now you know. And those who already do, you’ll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is.

ARTICLES FROM OFF THE SHELF SUMMER 2023