In our last episode, I had some thoughts to encourage you with reading aloud to the children — just some little tips to make it more enjoyable and comfortable for everyone. I promised some favorite audiobook suggestions from all of us over here (and you've already chimed in with some of yours on that post — we'd love to hear more!), so this is that! All our recommendations below!
But — let me just reiterate what I said in the comments before: don't let the professionalism of audiobooks deter you from reading aloud to your children. They love you! Reading to them is so different from listening to a recording. Each has its own merits, but when you read aloud to your children, you have the chance to stop and talk about things, to laugh and enjoy and savor something you really love, to reread a particularly relished section, to shed a tear together. Bridget and I practically sobbed through the ending of C. S. Lewis' The Last Battle, just the two of us on the sofa; for both of us the vision of heaven was so beautiful and moving, and for me, I was conscious that this would be the last time I'd read it to one of my children, making the tears extra bitter-sweet.
Relaxing on the couch with each other means so much, you know?
(I really got a kick out of this pic of Deirdre's kiddos with their young Auntie!! What a good sport she is!! Sitting down to read with them before she even gets her coat off!)
Do you have that one child who rarely lets you give him a hug? Do you know that you have to work on making sure you physically touch your children more? In this rushed, busy, hectic life of ours, we need a good excuse to build cuddles into our lives. Reading together is that. And more. So don't give it up!
All that said, we might as well listen to something good in the car! So, without further ado, here is a list of our favorites — and that means that we love the narrator. As always, the links to Amazon are affiliate links, meaning we get a little something when you buy — and if you sign up for Prime using our links, we get a nice little bonus, so thank you! If you buy or already have a book on Kindle, often the whispersync version (which allows you to go seamlessly from reading to listening and back again) is not much of an add-on. And while some of the selections are pricey, they are not bad if you have a subscription to Audible.*
(For me, anything narrated by Martin Jarvis is so worth it. The man can channel any number of voices and sustain them for however long it takes, making Dickens a veritable feast for the ears. His readings are also highly intelligent; he gets the nuances of the sometimes intricate language, and conveys them.)
For Littles:
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter When I was little, I had a (vinyl) record of this whimsical and adorable tale, narrated by Vivien Leigh. Somehow when I had children of my own, I found a copy in a record store! I really did shed tears when I heard it again, with its fun and bittersweet songs. For some reason, no one has put it on CD, but you can buy just the one story at least. On YouTube they have the others, but the Peter Rabbit is the best.
A Bear Called Paddington, by Michael Bond, read by Stephen Fry
Frog and Toad, by Arnold Lobel Suki says: although Bridget didn't like it, which makes me question everything! It's read by the author! The kids and I like it!
Little Bear books, by Else Holmelund Minarik
Curious George, by Margaret and H. A. Rey plus others in the series.
Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder — includes Pa's fiddle!
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary – Neil Patrick Harris
Beezus and Henry by Beverly Cleary – William Roberts
Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery – As Deirdre says: “It will never get old. I say that having grown up on it myself and now listening to it at a rate that would make me want to smash and burn a lesser recording — but I still love it to pieces.” NB: Not many available, but I include the link so you can see it (older versions have a different cover) and possibly recognize and snatch it up at a book/CD sale!! By the same company, we aren't excited about the Mozart one but Mr. Bach Comes to Call is nice — not as stellar as the Vivaldi but fine.
Winnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne – Deirdre prefers this Jim Broadbent narration to the others, even the Stephen Fry one.
Great and Good books for older children and adults:
David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens
Hard Times, by Charles Dickens
Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell
The Canterbury Tales, by Chaucer This one is narrated by Jarvis and others; if you go to the listing on Audible and look at the reviews, you will find a very helpful one in which the reviewer has offered a helpful “index” in the form of times at which to find each Tale.
Orgueil et préjugés, by Jane Austen Have someone learning French? How about Pride and Prejudice in French! My thinking is that if you already know a work backwards and forwards, listening to it in another language helps with facility. Great narration by Évelyne Lecucq. The translation has come under criticism from some reviewers on Amazon, but it sounded fine to me.
The Abolition of Man & The Great Divorce, by C. S. Lewis The former work must be read carefully and absorbed slowly. But hearing it can be a good supplement!
Uneasy Money, by P. G. Wodehouse I also like Simon Vance's narration (he did the one above as well). His relaxed voice is easy to listen to!
Dombey and Son, by Charles Dickens Different narrator, not Jarvis — pretty good!
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight For the advanced student who really wants to hear the Middle English.
Father Sergius & Other Short Stories, by Tolstoy
Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien This recording comes highly recommended; I've listened to a snippet and it certainly sounds amazing, but full disclosure, we haven't heard the whole thing. Maybe they have it at the library?
Bonus: A couple of fun reads for you:
What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty (Edited to add: I love the narrator of this book — her accent is perfect for the Australian setting. I will say that it's a book that is only for adults. It's a delightful read that makes you look at life differently, and overall the message is a good, even excellent, one, well delivered. However, there are moral issues that are dealt with in a less than upright way — IVF is taken for granted as a good thing, and even abortion is passed over lightly. In a lesser story these things would be dealbreakers; in this story I think the mature person has enough to consider, and the main message is cleverly enough delivered, that it's worth simply having one's own mental reservations and moving on. I don't think a teen should be subjected to that, though.)
One Hundred and One Dalmatians, by Dodie Smith Another Martin Jarvis!
*It took me a while to wrap my mind around how Audible works. You can get a subscription and then use your credits wisely to get the more expensive audiobooks. But you don't have to subscribe! You can buy (less expensive) ones without a subscription. You can certainly subscribe for a month or two and then quit — whatever you have bought stays bought and in your library. You just need to use your credits before you quit.
The photos are all by Deirdre!
Jessica F says
We are preparing for a road trip and I have had it in my mind to buy some audiobooks – this is perfect!
Kate says
Some recommendations for that big gap between “Littles” and “Older Children and Adults”? The Littles I prefer reading to so they don’t get hooked on too much “ear candy” at an early age. When they’re reading solidly, we’ve enjoyed audio books. We’ve enjoyed all the audios from Bethlehem Books – Rolf and the Viking Bow, Madeline Takes Command, The Winged Watchman, Old Sam. We bought them as CDs originally, but I see they now have everything (and more) available on audible. We don’t spend a lot of time in the car, but my kids like to listen to recordings when they have to do something mindless or repetitive, like cleaning their room (It also keeps them from arguing).
Keary says
I really liked listening to the Melendy quartet (The Saturdays, The Four Story Mistake, Then There Were Five, Storyweb for Two) by Elizabeth Enright. The books themselves are lovely to read, but something about listening to them was a real joy. A few years ago we listened to James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small while on a long car ride, and LOVED it (just be aware that it is about a country vet, and does include some descriptions of procedures and such).
Carol says
We LOVE the Melendy Quartet and continue to listen to them over again. The narrator is like an old friend, we have heard her voice so much. We have also loved the Edith Nesbit books from audible as well as the Swallows and Amazons!!
athenamiles says
Echo a love for the Enright books!! They have been loved by all my boys.
athenamiles says
Arg! I hit enter too soon. All the Melendy books plus other books written by the same author (Estes) were loved as well (all about the Pye Family). We also have enjoyed “The All of the Kind Family” series and the first book in the Penderwick series was a hit on our last trip. A great way to get my boys to “read” books they’d never read on their own. We do several trips to see family every year, and I love finding books like that to listen on the drive.
Cynthia says
Homer Price and Centerburg Tales read by John McDonough are excellent for middle kids. They also have a few of the Great Brain series and All of a Kind Family series. (I don’t really love the narrator for the second one, but the kids don’t seem to mind!) There are quite a few E. Nesbit titles too that my kids have loved. Jim Weiss is another narrator we have enjoyed (I think I have Wind in the Willows by him, and Swiss Family Robinson). I’d suggest you think of books you want the kids to hear and check and see if there is an audio version! I know that some libraries have better selections than others. Along with the in-library CD’s, we have downloadable MP3 books through the hoopla app and Overdrive.
Mia Simonsen says
My absolute favorite audio book for children is The Velveteen Rabbit, read by Meryl Streep and accompanied by George Winston. It is so timeless and beautiful. My kids used to listen to this as they settled down for their naps and I would listen to it through the baby monitor. Even now, as my kids are young adults and teens, I listen to it and remember those sweet years.
Annie says
The Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome is a lovely listen for all ages… 4 siblings going off on a sailing adventure to a “deserted” island near their summer lake home.
Kelly C says
Make sure you look at the cost for the Kindle book and then what additional charge there is to “add Audible narration.” This is often much cheaper. For instance, Cranford is listed on Audible as $10.95. I just bought the Kindle version for $.99 and added the Audible for another $.99!
Leila says
Kelly, yes, this is what I was trying to get at! Thanks!
Sara Mackey says
Some that we have loved:
Ramona series, read by Stockard Channing We have listened to this so many times, and I still crack up over the story about the apples in the first book. I like that it is very episodic. Each chapter is basically a short story, and the entire book moves through a short season of their lives. Both of my kids love it.
Peter Pan, read by Jim Dale (also read Harry Potter) This one was great because I kept tripping over the words when I tried to read it out loud.
I personally don’t worry about ‘ear candy’. A good story is a good story. Language skills increase as you listen. Audiobooks allow kids to hear a great story at their interest level even if they can’t read that well yet. I want them to know what a great sentence sounds like, like a standard to work towards in their own writing and speech.
Sara Mackey says
I forgot! I also use an app called Librivox sometimes. It has free audiobooks that are in the public domain. Regular people record and sent it in. We listened to My Father’s Dragon so many times! The reader is a little boy and he does such a great job. There is also some P.G. Wodehouse on there, but you have to be careful of the reader. I don’t care for an American accent with those!
Margaret says
I love “The Trumpet of the Swan” read by the author.
Bernadette says
Just a recommendation for a different version of Winne the Pooh — the version read by Peter Dennis is wonderful, and it is the only one authorized by Christopher Robin himself. I haven’t heard the others mentioned here, but it is difficult to imagine an improvement on this one, and we are serious Pooh devotees around here!
Stephanie says
I can vouch for the Lord of the Rings version here, and yes, we did get ours at the library. My husband and I checked out Fellowship for a long road trip, and have been listening to the others while we clean the kitchen in the evening. It even got my oldest interested in the story. This is one of my favorite things about audiobooks. We start a series while trapped in the car, usually a series I want my kids to read but they’re not terribly interested in. Half the time, they get hooked and start reading the rest on their own.
Dianna says
There’s a lovely version of the Wind in the Willows abridged and read by Bernard Cribbens. My children started listening to this when they were 2-3 and they still love it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/schoolradio/subjects/english/wind_in_the_willows/episodes/episode_1
Don’t forget that there are some great audio books on Librivox which is for Public Domain books. Beatrix Potter and the fantastic Just So Stories are available – just hunt around for a narrator you like.
Lisa says
We have loved and treasured Cherry Jones’s readings of the Little House on the Prairie books. She does it much better than I could ever dream too – emotion and warmth and feeling in all the right places. We are going through them for the second time (my older kids listened when they were younger, and now my youngers are ready for them so we’re all listening again together!). We just finished Farmer Boy, which is one of my favorite books of all time. (Almanzo’s pumpkin won again!) I cannot recommend these enough!
We have also listened to various Edith Nesbit books on audio, as well as Wheel on the School by DeJong. Of course we’ve listened to Chronicles of Narnia, and we listened through last winter to Rob Inglis read Lord of the Rings.
Thanks for the chance to share some favorites! I’m off to add some from this post to our list! 🙂
BridgetAnn says
I’ve only listened to Martin Jarvis read a P. G. Wodehouse (“Carry on, Jeeves”), but I second him as a narrator!
Gianna says
The Redwall series! It is read by the author (Brian Jacques) and a full cast. Excellent! The ones we have listened to and like the most are High Rhulain, The long Patrol and Taggerung. Thanks for all the recommendations!
Dianna says
My children adore the songs: there is a whole YouTube playlist of them: All Redwall Songs And Music Ever, on YouTube! No Repeats;): http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0H_Z1m_-O0leH9j9Vk7mkMLORpFLVu0y
Jill says
We have love listening to and laugh while listening to a series of unfortunate events…. I think they are narrated by Tim Curry….they are wonderful !!
STF says
I’m going to side with Bridget on the the Arnold Lobel readings. His books and illustrations are so delightful, perfect for 3-6 year olds and pleasant for parents to read. But I was really disappointed in his readings when I found the audiobook at the library. There is something about his intonation that is unnatural sounding and weird.
There are two E.B. White audiobooks read by the author at our library, and they are a delight. Especially The Trumpet of the Swan, what a charming story! Not everyone loves this series, but we all get a kick out of Ramona, and Stockard Channing narrates her books well. We checked out Anne of Green Gables narrated by Kate Burton, and it was very well done. And I hit the curb while driving because I was so engrossed in the Graeme Malcolm reading of The Tale of Despereaux. It’s a very exciting book.
Where did the curtains in the picture on the top come from? I love them.
Catherine says
Someone mentioned Hoopla and Overdrive library apps, and I just want to second that! My children like that they can choose an audiobook to listen to on a rainy day when something is keeping us at home. If someone has a particularly odious chore to complete, he or she can pick out an audiobook by which to do it immediately, without making the trip to the library. Usually the classics, like works by Dickens, are always available. Our favorites have included E. Nesbit books, and recently we ALL enjoyed listening to “Around the World in Eighty Days,” narrated by Jim Dale.
I also want to second Librivox.org as a source for good, classical literature read aloud. Some of the readers can be a bit of a challenge to understand, but some are fantastic, like Mil Nicholson.
But the main reason I wanted to reiterate that these are good choices is that they’re ALWAYS FREE. And with the library apps, the books just delete themselves when they expire, so no fines!
Jill R. says
Yes, the Rob Ingles’ LOTR and the Hobbit are good recordings, though I quibble a little bit with some of his pronunciations, after reading the somewhat tedious appendix one languages. I still loved hearing the songs actually sung. (I tried to do this as I was reading it, and it was difficult, I succeeded about 40% of the time, the rest I just had to read them in rhythm). However, I will say I enjoyed reading these stories over listening to them this time, the more history textbook like writing just made it a slightly more difficult listen. But then, I did listen to them immediately after reading them, so maybe that was my problem.
I also just finished North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, narrated by Heather Wilds. Ah, I am forever grateful for audiobooks for introducing me to this book and this author. It was lovely and I was enchanted, and had to go out and immediately buy the book, and watch the (good but not quite accurate) miniseries available on Netflix. Now I have to read her other stuff.
Sara Boyle says
What a timely post as I was just wondering what to spend my 4 credits on before cancelling! I also highly recommend that LOTR recording, as I have it also and have listened many times. We used to have a dramatized version on audiocassette that was also excellent, but I have not been able to find it at the library. The ones that I have found (and The Hobbit, too) are dreadful, 70’s versions.
ap says
The Rob Ingllis LOTR is a favorite at our house! And his version of the Hobbit has been listened to many times here.
Renee says
The first audio book (record) that I loved as a child was a version of The Velveteen Rabbit read tremendously by Christopher Plummer.
I have had such a nice time reading for my nieces and nephews recently! My sister homeschools, and since I live too far away to cuddle the kids on a couch, I’ve been putting read-along videos up on YouTube instead. I’m not convinced that’s very useful, since it’s more visual than audible, but it’s good fun for me, and I feel like I’m contributing in some way.
I’m not a good reader, but if anyone has bored little ones they’re welcome to listen (watch?) along? I put a link in my comment info. Again, have low expectations. 😉
Haus Frau says
We love the “Chronicles of Narnia” on Audible narrated by various actors. Patrick Stewart does “The Last Battle,” Kenneth Branagh reads “The Magician’s Nephew,” Michael York reads “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” etc. They’re unabridged, too. We listened to them on a four day drive to and from our vacation spot this summer and our boys (9, 11, 13) listened to them all during the vacation, too. It was fantastic.
Helen says
About Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery: I grew up listening to these albums, and decided to buy them in collections for my little ones, since you save a little per CD that way. Each collection includes four CDs, and Volume 1 includes Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery. So, if you know you like this series and want to get the Vivaldi CD, the collection is a way to do that without having to search for it at sales. Here’s a link:
https://www.amazon.com/Classical-Kids-Collection/dp/B00000212C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505435584&sr=8-1&keywords=classical+kids+collection
Mary says
We absolutely loved Tomie De Paoloa’s 26 Fairmount Ave series, which is about the author’s own childhood in the 1930s and 40s. These chapter books appealed to both my 4 yr old and 7 yr old, and me! The illustrations are delightful and the audio version is narrated by the author himself. He is a master storyteller.