Recommendations for Books on CD?

I second the library! We just got "Al Capone Shines my Shoes" for a long trip, although it is the second one in the series. We also got some books by Cornelia Funke, and a collection of fairy tales, and Arabian Nights stories. We also in years past got Harry Potter, Roald Dahl books, and one about a monster ring (can't remember the title - sorry!). We LOVE books on CD.

A.,

We do this every summer and LOVE it! Instead of buying the CD's, we check them out from the local library. Some of our favorites have been...

Week in the Woods, The Indian in the Cupboard Series, The BFG, The Laura Ingalls Wilder Series, Call of the Wild, The Harry Potter Series, The Ramona Quimbly Series, Ralph S. Mouse, Mouse and the Motorcycle, Old Yeller, Little Women, Peter Pan, Soup Series, Great Brain Series, James and the Giant Peach, Mary Pope Osborne's Tales from the Odyssey, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing / Fudge Series, Hoot, How to Eat Fried Worms, Where the Red Fern Grows, and anything read by Jim Dale.

The next ones we are going to read are Swiss Family Robinson, The Secret Garden, Hatchet, and The Adventures of Huck Finn.

Good luck,
S.

Definately try the ibrary. I'm nt sure what age your kids are but there are a lot of young adult books that appeal to kids and adults. I saw someone mention Al Capone Does My Shirts. There is another Al Capone book too. I would reccomend those or others by that author. Kate DiCamillo books would also appeal to all ages. Some libraries now have where you can download books for free to an MP3 player or your computer. If you download to your computer you can then burn it to a CD.

We have loved all the Hank the Cowdog CDs! I haven't found one that we haven't liked. We checked out a few at our library and liked them so much we ordered some. We have enjoyed them over and over again.

I recommend checking them out at your local library!! Spend ZERO money and check out BUNCHES for your trip! If you don't like one, 86 it and try the next. I listen to about one a week on the way to and from school.

My library has an online system that you can see what they have, reserve books (or books on CD or movies or whatever), see reviews, and you can search for age group and award winners, etc. HTH and have a fun, safe trip!

if your kids are old enough, we love love love the Harry Potter books on CD. The narrator does an amazing job and it's very well done.

Otherwise, I'd go to the library and see what's available.

Cracker Barrel Restaurants have lending libraries of CD's. You pay for one, then you can turn it in at another restaurant and get a different one. If there are Cracker Barrels where you travel, they could be your answer. Also your local library.

Your library should have a pretty good selections of books on CD. Check to see what their return policy is. If it is more than 1 week or if you can extend it on-line, then definitely check out a few of those CDs for your trip. Will save you a lot of money in the long run.

We also use the library for our source of audiobooks. My girls just listened to Heidi, The Frog Princess, Adventures in Odyssey, and My friend Flicka.

However, I just ordered Anne of Green Gables and the Chronicles of Narnia series (radio theater) from Amazon for our next trip. My sister has them and highly recommended them as they listen to theirs over and over.

Have a great vacation!

Don't limit yourself to what is on tape. When my kids were little, I read out loud in the car. As the children learned to read, they took their turns reading to everyone else. Only one of my kids struggled with motion sickness. Any of the books in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques are really fun to read aloud. Lots of accents and action. I agree with those recommending the Harry Potter series. I purchased them and still enjoy "re-reading" those stories as I work around the house. I would bet anything else read by Jim Dale would be just as good. I read that he was reading the Peter Pan "prequel" stories..."Peter and the Starcatchers" by Dave Barry &..can't remember the 2nd author. Those books were really fun.

We just borrowed "The Manny" from the library and all agreed it was our new favorite. Our kids are 6 & 8 - but I liked it just as much. It is about a family that gets a male nanny. He is really fun. It is told from the perspective of the only boy in the family - a 2nd/3rd grader who is a bit unusual himself.
Hotel for Dogs (like the movie) was also pretty good.

You can check out books on CD from the library. No need to buy any unless they're ones you'll listen to over and over.

My granddaughter enjoys the Amber Brown series. The reader for some of them has an unpleasant voice. I was surprised that she enjoyed the Life of Pi on CD when she was 6 or so. It is definitely an adult book. I would not recommend it but this suggested to me that there are adult stories that kids will enjoy.

Many of the children's books are on CD. You might look for CD's of their favorites.

I get audio books from our library all the time and filled out a questionaire for them to recommend some books for me.
Here's the list:
Bradley, C. Alan. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.
Bray, Libba. A Great and Terrible Beauty. (1st in a series)*
Collins, Suzanne. Gregor the Overlander(1st in the Underland Chronicles) **
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games
Funke, Cornelia. Inkspell
Kay, Guy Gavriel. Ysabel
Lackey, Mercedes. The Snow Queen.
McKillip, Patricia. The Bell at Sealey Head.
Nix, Garth. Sabriel. (1st in the Abhorsen trilogy)
Sage, Angie. Magyk. (Book 1 in Septimus Heap series) **

* I've read
** I really liked

Check with your local library. They should have book CDs. And if it turns out your family does not like one, you will not have wasted any money.