Your January AudioSynced Roundup!

It's that time again! Here's your AudioSynced Roundup for January... If I missed any reviews or posts, please leave me a link in comments and I'll make sure to add it!

Audiobook News and Posts


The winners of the 2012 Odyssey Award were announced at the American Library Association Midwinter meeting! At the same meeting, the Children's Notable Recordings and the Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults lists were released.

At the ALSC Blog, Jeanette Larson gives us a review of the book Listening to Learn: Audiobooks Supporting Literacy by Sharon Grover and Lizette D. Hannigen. Jeanette says, "Listening to Learn is recommended as a great learning resource and collection development tool."

As always, make sure you're stopping by Audiobook Jukebox for tons of great audiobook reviews! You also won't want to miss several blogs that review many more audiobooks than I was able to link to here: The Guilded Earlobe

Children's/Middle Grade Audiobooks

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander, read by James Langton, reviewed by Lee at Reading with my ears. Lee says, "He [James Langton] fully voices this story, creating believable, individual characters for a large cast of humans and non-humans.

Magyk by Angie Sage, read by Allan Corduner, reviewed by Jayla at LadyBlueJay. Jayla says, "[T]he narrator did a wonderful job of giving each character a distinct voice."

Young Adult Audiobooks

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick, read by Caitlin Greer, reviewed by Melissa at Mel's Books and Info. Melissa says, "Greer does an excellent job narrating and her voices feel true to the characters."

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima, read by Carol Monda, reviewed by Irish at Ticket to Anywhere. Irish says, "The world in The Demon King is very rich and vivid and its one that I would highly recommend to be experienced in its audio form."

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld, read by Alan Cumming, reviewed by Brian at Wyz Reads. Brian says, "I was instantly hooked by Alan Cumming’s narration... His voice really brought the book to life..."

The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman, read by Christopher Evan Welch, reviewed by Lee at Reading with my ears. Lee says, "While he [Christopher Evan Welch] doesn't sound particularly youthful, his rhythms and delivery capture a youthful feel."

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta, read by Michael Finney, reviewed by Lee at Reading with my ears. Lee says, "...for a very emotion-driven story, Finney brings acting skills that help us hear the tears or laughter, or anger or sadness."

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder, read by Emma Galvin, reviewed by Abby the Librarian (that's me!). I say, "Cam has a great voice and this is where it was really nice to listen to this book because I think Emma Galvin does a really nice job of bringing Cam's voice to life."

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, read by Laura Flanagan, reviewed by Janssen at Everyday Reading. Janssen says, "...the whole tone of the book was richer than I think it might have been if I'd simply read it in paper form."

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick, read by Caitlin Greer, reviewed by Melissa at Mel's Books and Info. Melissa says, " The audio format suits this book well and is a good way to get through this novel."

Adult

Between the Thames and the Tiber: The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Britain and the Italian Peninsula by Ted Riccardi, read by Simon Prebble, reviewed by Lee at Reading with my ears. Lee says, "It's a fine performance, but truthfully I was never captured by the stories." 

Defending Jacob by William Landay, read by Grover Gardner, reviewed by Bob at The Guilded Earlobe. Bob says, "I think one of the hardest things for a narrator to do is have authentic sounding dialogue between two characters, and here it was like I was listening to a masters class on how to do it."  

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, read by Susan Duerden, reviewed by Melissa at Book Nut. Melissa says, "I probably had more patience for this book in audio form because Duerden was such a capable reader, creating a world for me with her voice that wouldn't have otherwise existed."

Pineapple Grenade by Tim Dorsey, read by Oliver Wyman, reviewed by Bob at The Guilded Earlobe. Bob says, "I can go on and on about how perfectly his characterizations fit my vision for Serge and Coleman from the days I read this series in print."

Room by Emma Donoghue, read by Ellen Archer, Michal Friedman, Robert Petkoff and Suzanne Toren, reviewed by Lee at Reading with my ears. Lee says, "Room is one of those books where listening adds a whole level of intensity to the literary experience."

Still Life by Louise Penny, read by Ralph Cosham, reviewed by Lee at Reading with my ears. Lee says, "He [Ralph Cosham] reads with a quiet command of characters and story, much as Inspector Gamache controls both his own staff and the residents of Three Pines."

Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen, read by David LeDoux and John Randolph Jones, reviewed by Melissa at Book Nut. Melissa says, " Both the narrators were excellent (LeDoux read the young Jacob; Jones the older one), and because of that I was able to really "see" the book in a way I don't think I would have, had I read it."

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan, read by Heather Corrigan, reviewed by Irish at Ticket to Anywhere. Irish says, "[Heather Corrigan] really helped to bring the character of Hannah to life and I think that it really added to my enjoyment of this book."

Audiobook Roundup: Revisiting a few favorites

So, remember when I was all like "I'm going to reread more books!"? Yeah. I don't always have time for that. LUCKILY (kind of? I guess?), I have a somewhat decent commute to my job. And what better to do during a commute than listen to audiobooks? I've been revisiting some of my favorites on audio and I've got two to share with you today.

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. Audiobook produced by Recorded Books, narrated by George Guidall. Grades 4-6. Copy provided by my local library.

It all started when Leigh Botts had to write a letter to his favorite author as a class assignment in the 2nd grade. He picked Mr. Henshaw. The following year, he again had to write to an author and he, again, wrote to Mr. Henshaw. By the time Leigh was in the sixth grade, he considered himself Mr. Henshaw's number one fan. And as Leigh started to go through some things in his own life (like starting a new school and dealing with his parents' divorce), he wrote to Mr. Henshaw.

For me, this book definitely stands the test of time. I loved it when I was in grade school (probably because I loved reading and writing and the idea of having a dialog with a famous author really appealed to me). And now that I go back to it, I can appreciate how real a character Leigh Botts is. He complains when Mr. Henshaw replies to his list of questions with not only a list of smartypants answers but a list of questions for Leigh to complete (how Ms. Cleary must have laughed to write that part!).

Leigh's facing a situation that many kids face - his parents' divorce. Even though this book was written in 1983, I think it stands up remarkably well. It doesn't really feel dated at all.

The audiobook narrator, George Guidall, does a terrific job as well. The story is told exclusively through Leigh's letters to Mr. Henshaw and Leigh's journal, so there aren't really characters to voice. The recording doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles, but it doesn't need them. It's great as it is. If you haven't read this one, pick it up or grab the audiobook. It's definitely one of my all-time favorites.

The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements. Audiobook produced by Listening Library, narrated by Fred Berman. Grades 3-6. Copy provided by my local library.

Hart Evans is a sixth grade golden boy. Mr. Meinert is the sixth grade chorus teacher, recently RIFed (laid off - Reduction In Force-ed). They don't have a thing in common. When Hart misbehaves in chorus, Mr. Meinert explodes. He can't believe that none of the sixth graders understand what a big deal the holiday concert is! So he leaves it up to them. He bows out as director and the kids elect Hart. Can the sixth graders put together a holiday concert? Will their concert be a masterpiece or a mishmash of weird talent show acts?

Andrew Clements creates accessible school stories and I love that you get some of the teacher's perspective, too. School RIFs are a reality for students and it's good for them to see it from the teacher's viewpoint, too. In this book, I particularly love Clements's description of the concert. It brought tears to my eyes when I read it and it brought tears again when I listened to it.

Narrator Fred Berman brings all the characters to life, creating distinct voices for Hart and Mr. Meinert. His dramatic reading of the concert scene really added to how moving it was.

Both books are great in print or on audio. I highly recommend both. (And they're particularly good if you have a short commute because each recording is less than 3 hours long!)

Don't forget to submit your audio reviews to Kelly at Stacked for the April AudioSynced Roundup!

AudioSynced - March Roundup!

Well, it's the first of the month and you know what that means: it's time to find out what the book blogosphere has been listening to! Welcome to your AudioSynced Roundup! If you have a review of or post about audiobooks that I missed, feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll update the links as needed.

Confession: I actually didn't review an audiobook this month. What can I say? March was a crazy month. LUCKILY, book bloggers have stepped up and you'll find many great offerings here! 

Before we get into the reviews, I want to point you to the discussion going on at A Fuse #8 Production about Midwest Tape's audiobook covers. Does the cover art on an audiobook matter to you? Does it matter as much as on a print book?

Also, Library Lea's been thinking about audiobooks lately.

And now, the reviews! Now, I love kidlit as much as the next person, but sometimes you just need to read an adult book. If you're hankering for some grown-up fare, you might want to give one of the following titles a listen:

Adult Audiobooks

Carin of Caroline Bookbinder has reviews of Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (narrated by Emily Gray) and Nurtureshock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman (read by Po Bronson).

Lee of Reading with my Ears reviews Chasing the Devil's Tail by David Fulmer (narrated by Dion Graham) and The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King (narrated by Jenny Sterlin).

My partner in crime, Kelly of Stacked, shares reviews of Zeitoun by Dave Eggers (narrated by Firdous Bamji), The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (narrated by Christopher Evan Welch), and The Help by Kathryn Stockett (narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Octavia Spencer, Bahni Turpin, and Jenna Lamia).

Then again, sometimes you're just in the mood for a great middle-grade or YA title. If that's the case, you might throw one of these into the CD player:

Middle-Grade/YA Audiobooks

Over at Oops...Wrong Cookie, Joanna's got blurbs about A Drowned Maiden's Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz (narrated by Alma Cuervo) and The Red Blazer Girls by Michael Beil (narrated by Tai Alexandra Ricci).

Lee at Reading With My Ears reviews The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (narrated by Johnny Heller), The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer (narrated by Gerard Doyle), and Outcast by Michelle Paver (narrated by Sir Ian McKellen).

Traveling Classics recommends the recording of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood and they discuss a favorite reader, Maureen O'Brien.

Mel of Mel's Books and Info reviews Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, narrated by Deborah Wiseman and Joel Johnstone.

Amanda at A Patchwork of Books shares three audiobooks she enjoyed in March: Frindle by Andrew Clements (narrated by John Fleming), The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (narrated by Vane Millon), and Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (narrated by Eden Reigel). 

Mary Ann at Great Kids Books posts about Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen (narrated by Danny Campbell).

Whew! I've just added a ton of books to my audiobook wishlist! Thanks, everyone, for posting about audiobooks and submitting your links to AudioSynced! If I missed anyone, please leave me a link in the comments and I'll update the links.

If you didn't post about audiobooks this month (like, um, me), don't despair! AudioSynced will be back next month - Kelly will host the next roundup on May 1 at Stacked!

Audiobook Roundup: Thirty Nine Clues

I've discovered a new joy: the audio recordings of Scholastic's 39 Clues series. I've only listened to the first two so far, but I am finding them extremely enjoyable.

The 39 Clues are super popular at my library. We can hardly keep them on the shelves! And, though I don't generally care for series or mysteries (heh), I felt I should give them a shot. I'm so glad I picked up the audiobooks because I really enjoyed them!

Each book is written by a different, big-name children's author and the first book in the series is The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan. When orphaned Dan and Amy Cahill's beloved grandmother dies, they've lost the last blood relative who really cared about them. And they're also thrown into a deadly scavenger hunt, The 39 Clues. Members of the enormous Cahill family can choose to receive a million-dollar inheritance or the chance to solve the 39 Clues and inherit the power and fortune that the Cahills have built up over hundreds of years. Dan and Amy choose the clue and thus begins their whirlwind journey. 

The Maze of Bones takes Dan and Amy to Paris and their journey continues in One False Note by Gordon Korman. One False Note sees Dan and Amy off to Vienna to continue the hunt for clues. The deck is stacked against them with a dozen or so wily and unscrupulous relatives trying to beat them to the next clue.


Now, when I tell you that these books include information about such famous figures as Ben Franklin and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, I don't want you to think that they are boring. In fact, the action is pretty much nonstop. Yet, as I listened to Dan and Amy's antics, I found myself intrigued by what I was learning. I'd venture to say that some kids will really dig that and may be inspired to check out some nonfiction books to learn more. In fact, it might not be a bad idea to pair The Maze of Bones with a travel guide to Paris and a biography of Ben Franklin. 


So, all that's about the text. Let's talk about the narration. Um, it's awesome. David Pittu gives a full-voiced performance and the number of accents he includes is impressive. These would make great family listens for road trips with the lively narration and the fast-paced plots keeping the interest of everyone in the car. 


I really can't recommend them enough if you're in search of something that'll keep you in your driveway just to listen to a few more minutes. ;) 


Full disclosure: copies provided by my local library.


Hey!  I'm an Audible affiliate, so if you make a purchase after clicking on affiliate links on my site, I will receive a referral fee. 

Audiobook Effects: Good and Bad

First, the good:

Feed by M.T. Anderson, read by David Aaron Baker. (Grades 9+) Listening Library, 2008. Copy provided by my local library.

Okay, so not only is this an awesome, intense, well-written book, but the audiobook is really fantastic.

Abridged summary from publisher:

"We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck." So says Titus, a teenager whose ability to read, write, and even think for himself has been almost completely obliterated by his "feed", a transmitter implanted directly into his brain... But then Titus meets Violet, a girl who cares about what's happening to the world and challenges everything that Titus and his friends hold dear. A girl who decides to fight the feed."

Narrator David Aaron Baker does a great job with the voices, capturing the cadence of teen speech. That's essential because it's one thing that makes the story so great - it's set in the future and the kids deal with unique problems, but they still sound like teens. They act like teens. The characters felt completely real, even though they are traveling in flying cars and chatting with each other using the internet inside their brains.

The "special effects" in the recording were great, too, and really added to the listener's understanding. There's a slight echo effect when the characters are chatting each other, giving the voices a kind of tinny quality to differentiate from when they're speaking out loud. And throughout the book, you're periodically interrupted by snippets of commercials, "TV" shows, and news reports (just like you actually had a feed sending you constant information). These snippets sound like actual commercials and news reports. They're very, very well done and add to the overall atmosphere of the book.

The Feed makes a GREAT audiobook and I can't recommend it enough for teens and adults looking for a good listen. (Fair warning, there is a fair amount of foul language.)

(Many, many thanks to Kelly at Stacked for recommending it!!)

Now, for the bad:

The Giver by Lois Lowry, read by Ron Rifkin. (Grades 5-8.) Listening Library, 2001. Copy provided by my local library.

The Giver is one of my favorite books of all time, so I was excited to revisit it on a recent car trip.

Jonas lives in a future where people have embraced Sameness. At the age of 12, everyone is assigned a career by the panel of Elders that guides their community. When Jonas is assigned the most prestigious career, Receiver of Memories, he discovers the cracks in his Utopian community.

Ron Rifkin does a great job narrating the story. Characters have voices that are subtly different, enough so that you can tell them apart.

The problem here is that whenever something strange and "magical" happens (like the transferring of memories), there is this terrible, distracting music playing. I get that it's intended to set apart the special events, but I just found it distracting. I wished that the music would stop so I could listen to Rifkin's excellent narration. And the worst thing is that the scenes with the music are some of the most emotionally moving scenes in the book. Since I was already familiar with the story, I'd gear myself up for the big reveals, only to be totally annoyed by the swelling music.

Maybe someone who wasn't familiar with the story might find it useful, but I think Rifkin's narration would have been just fine alone. I'd definitely recommend picking up The Giver, but I'm afraid I can't wholeheartedly recommend the audiobook.

So there you have two different examples of audiobook effects - one greatly contributing to the experience and one greatly detracting from the experience. Can you think of any audiobooks with particularly good - or particularly bad - effects? Put 'em in the comments!

Audiobook Roundup

What's been spinning in my CD player lately? Hmm. If you're asking that, I suppose it's time for another Audiobook Roundup.

The Liberation of Gabriel King by K.L. Going. (Grades 4-6.) Listening Library, 2005.

Fourth grader Gabriel King has decided that he's not going to the fifth grade. It's too scary. So his best friend Frita comes up with the idea of writing down everything they're afraid of and using the summer of 1976 to face every single fear on their list so that they'll be braver. Gabe's list is quite long. But when he finds something that Frita truly fears in their town, he knows he'll have to be brave so he can stand beside her and help her fight it.

I'm not sure what inspired me to pick this up at my local library, but it was an unexpected joy. I love any children's book that can deal with a serious subject (like race relations in the 1976 American South) in a child-friendly way. I loved the narration and this audiobook is only about 3 hours long, making it perfect for those with a shorter commute (or taking a short road trip).

26 Fairmount Avenue, Books 1-4 by Tomie DePaola. (Preschool - Grade 3.) Listening Library, 2002.

In these short autobiographical chapter books, Tomie DePaola tells of his childhood growing up at 26 Fairmount Avenue. His adventures include moving into a new house, welcoming a new baby sister, taking tap dancing lessons, and starting kindergarten. Read by the author himself, the audiobook made me feel like Tomie was sitting down and telling me the story of his life. Very cool. The entire collection of books 1-4 only run for about 4 hours, making this another great choice for short commutes (or short attention spans). Great for families with younger kids.

The School Story by Andrew Clements. (Grades 4-7.) Listening Library, 2002. The School Story is one of my favorite Andrew Clements books. Natalie's mom is a children's book editor and when she vents to Natalie about how hard it is to find good books to be published, Natalie has a solution. Unbeknownst to her mom, Natalie's been writing a book, a school story - just the type of book the publisher is looking for. And it's good. But Natalie's only in sixth grade, so how can she get her book published?

This is another short one, just over 3 hours, and narrator Spencer Kayden really brings the story to life with her different voices for each character.

The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. (Grades 4-7.) Recorded Books, 1996. Gilly Hopkins has been shuttled around to several different foster homes since her mother left, and Gilly's perfected the art of not caring about anyone. When she arrives at the house of a new foster mother Mrs. Trotter, Gilly's certain she can drive Trotter crazy and break free to join her mother in California. But things don't turn out the way she planned.

I remember enjoying this book when I was in grade school and I was curious to see if it would hold up to a reread. When I saw that the audiobook is narrated by one of my favorite narrators (Alyssa Bresnahan), I picked it up immediately. Of course, I loved the narration, but I do wonder if The Great Gilly Hopkins is relevant to today's kids. Certainly we still have foster kids, but race relations in 1978 were different than they are today (I would hope so, anyway). Gilly harbors some prejudice towards African Americans that might mystify some of today's kids, although that might also lead to some interesting discussions. Also good to note is that the language might be objectionable to some.

So, that's what's been spinning in my CD player. How about yours?

Audiobook Roundup: Books for the Commute

Yeah, the new job comes with a little bit of a commute; just long enough to make listening to audiobooks actually feasible. I've listened to a few that have really made the traffic bearable and I'd like to share them with you today.

Nation by Terry Pratchett, narrated by Stephen Briggs. With a shiny Printz honor AND a shiny Odyssey honor to its name, Nation definitely deserves a listen. After the wave hits, everything about Mau's life changes. He was in the middle of the task that all boys have to complete to become men, he was heading home when the wave hit. And his entire family was wiped away. The wave changed Daphne's life, too. The ship she was on crash-landed on Mau's island and she was the only survivor. Can Mau and Daphne survive on their own when they don't even speak the same language? Terry Pratchett examines religion, faith, power, family and more in this amusing and touching story. Expert narration by Stephen Briggs really drew me in to the story. Highly recommended. If you haven't yet read this Printz honoree, the audio version is a great way to go.

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, narrated by Natalie Moore. Ohhh, Dairy Queen. It's truly one of my favorite books. I wanted to listen to it to refresh my memory because the third DJ Schwenk book, Front and Center, comes out in October (yaaay!). DJ Schwenk lives on a dairy farm in Red Bend, Wisconsin. She's working on the farm this summer because her dad had hip surgery and can't handle the farm work. Her older brothers are off at college and currently not speaking to the family because of The Fight. Her younger brother has Little League championships. And that leaves DJ to do the work. Now, to add insult to injury, Jimmy Ott, coach of Red Bend's rival football team, has sent his quarterback Brian to the Schwenk farm to help out and get a lesson in hard work. It's such a sweet, unusual story with a really honest and refreshing main character. Natalie Moore's narration with a cute Wisconsin accent really brings DJ Schwenk to life. (I'm now rereading The Off Season and I keep reading parts of it out loud to see if I can imitate Ms. Moore's Wisconsin accent!)

The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian, read by Jesse Eisenberg. Josh and his best friend (and secret love interest) Beth are obsessed with a mysterious online prophet who calls himself Larry. Little does Beth know that Josh is the mastermind behind the website. When "Larry" explodes in popularity, Josh will find that making a difference in the world isn't as easy as he'd thought. Ohhh, Nerdfighters, take note! This book is right up your alley! Jesse Eisenberg actually sounds a little like John & Hank Green. Josh would totally be a Nerdfighter if he weren't, y'know, fictional. The audiobook isn't perfect - I found it to be a little over-produced - and the prologue and epilogue are narrated by the author. Ms. Tashjian is a wonderful author, but not a gifted reader. I almost gave up right at the very beginning, but I'm so glad I pushed through to the first chapter. Once Jesse Eisenberg started reading, I fell in love!

Audiobook Roundup: Moving to a Different State Version

My new job requires a bit more of a commute than my last job and I have to admit that I am actually kinda looking forward to that because it means I'll have more time for audiobook listening*.

I did get a chance to listen to a couple of great books on the trip down to Louisville with all my stuff. Albeit, it was a little hard to pay attention when my cat was yowling in his carrier, but I did the best I could. ;)

Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson is the recently-released adaptation of the author's adult title Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer and I found the book to be absolutely riveting. Sure, I knew the basic details about Lincoln's assassination: John Wilkes Booth, Ford's theater, gunshot, etc. But Chasing Lincoln's Killer gives you all the gruesome details, blood and guts included, and it even mentions how John Wilkes Booth's crime changed the perception of Lincoln. He was a controversial political figure that was changed over night into a tragic hero, shot down in the prime of life. The text reads like fiction and this would be a great choice for those narrative nonfiction assignments that kids get from time to time. The audio would be an excellent choice for family listening with older kids (grades 5+) because adults will dig the historical facts, too. I say grades 5+ because it is a bit bloody in parts and Swanson goes into some detail about the gruesome injuries sustained by the president and Secretary of State William H. Seward (so take note if you're sensitive to that kind of thing). This book was booktalked at Anderson's Children's Literature Breakfast and former coworker J highly recommended Manhunt, so I'll probably pick that one up at some point, if only to look at the photographs.

For something completely different, the other audiobook I listened to was Stink and the Incredible, Super-Galactic Jawbreaker by Megan McDonald. I'd been meaning to pick up one of the Stink books for quite some time, as that series is pretty popular. The story is funny, but the real draw, for me, was the incredible narration by Nancy Cartwright (you might be familiar with her as the voice of Bart Simpson). She gives each character his own distinct voice and she really brought this spunky story to life. I'd highly recommend Stink audiobooks to families with young elementary school kids and they're short so they're perfect for when you're driving around town.

*I am such a geek, but if anyone would understand it's the readers of this blog, so there ya go.

Audiobook Roundup

With various trips home for the holidays, I've been listening to some great audiobooks!


Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl is based on events from his own life, but reads just like fiction. Andrew Sachs provides hilarious narration that makes the book really come to life. I'd highly recommend this to any fans of Dahl or anyone with middle grade kids looking for a great family listen.

Another great family listen (especially for families with older preschoolers or younger elementary kids) is My Dog May Be a Genius by Jack Prelutsky. The fun thing is that each poem in this selection is set to music and sung. The tunes are sometimes repeated, but a host of different musical instruments (guitar, bango, mandolin, and oboe to name a few) make each song fun to listen to. The silly words will have kids howling and begging for repeated listens.

One that's great for teens is The Compound by S.A. Bodeen. Fifteen-year-old Eli has spent the last six years with his family in an underground compound created by his billionaire father to protect them in the event of nuclear war. But as events unfold, Eli starts to suspect that his father may have lied about there being a war... and now he won't let them out. The story goes to some bizarre places, but it was compelling listening.

I read Good Masters, Sweet Ladies by Laura Amy Schlitz last year after it won the Newbery. I really enjoyed this recording, read by various actors. I'd recommend it as supplemental listening to those who have enjoyed the book or as companion listening with the book in front of you. I don't know it would stand alone very well if you haven't read the book and you certainly won't want to miss the illustrations of the print book.

And last, but certainly not least, I listened to PS: Longer Letter Later by Ann M. Martin and Paula Danziger. I've been meaning to get to this one for awhile, as Martin and Danziger were two of my favorite authors growing up. This story is told in letters between two best friends. When Tara has to move to another state, Elizabeth's not sure how she'll get along without her best friend. While Tara's family seems to be finally getting its act together, Elizabeth's is starting to fall apart. I especially enjoyed that the book was read by both authors - Ann M. Martin reading Elizabeth and Paula Danziger reading Tara. It was a treat to hear these authors that I love and I don't know that professional actors could have done any better. This is a great choice for families with daughters or middle grade best friends taking a trip.

Audiobook Roundup

This past weekend I took a road trip to visit my hometown. I no longer travel long distances without an audiobook (or six... c'mon, you've got to have backups in case one is skippy or boring) to keep me company.

Since I left at a rather ungodly hour (5am!), I needed something with a lot of adventure to start with. Hurricane by Terry Trueman certainly fit the bill. This adventure story tells of a Honduran family dealing with Hurricane Mitch. Thirteen-year-old Jose has nothing bigger on his mind than school and playing soccer when tragedy strikes. With his father and older siblings missing, Jose has to take charge, helping neighbors dig family members out of the mud slides and finding a doctor for his sick baby brother. Hurricane is filled with suspense as the storm strikes and then as the village deals with the aftermath - flooding, mud slides, lack of food and lack of water. Narrator Ramon de Ocampo is particularly talented at giving each character a distinct voice. This is a great choice for middle grade kids and teens who like adventure stories about natural disasters.

Next up was The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. This was a favorite of mine when I was a kid and the audiobook was great. Eleven-year-old April Hall isn't planning on staying with her grandmother in this small college town for long. Soon, her actress/singer mother will finish her tour and come fetch her and they'll go back to LA and be fabulous together, just like before. In the meantime, April isn't planning on getting settled or making any friends. But when she happens to be walking past the back of the old second hand shop with a neighbor girl, they inadvertently discover Egypt. Oh, it isn't the real Egypt, but with the help of active imaginations and a cast-off bust of Nefertiti, the Egypt Game begins. When a crime in the neighborhood threatens the future of their beloved game, what will April and her friends do? This classic story of imagination and friendship stands the test of time and I loved the story just as much as I did when I was ten. Narrator Alyssa Bresnahan is one of my favorites. I could listen to her voice all day! This is a great choice for family listening.

I didn't actually think I would like What Jamie Saw by Carolyn Coman, but I popped it in and was immediately hooked and had to listen to the whole thing. What Jamie saw was his mom's boyfriend throwing his baby sister across the room. Luckily, Jamie's mom was quick enough to catch her and the three of them left that night. This gem of a book tells what happened after the incident and how Jamie and his mom begin to conquer their fears and put their lives back together. This is a great listen for middle grade and teen readers who like "issues" books. The only violent act is that first one at the very beginning of the book. Jamie and his mom are multi-dimensional characters, imperfect and trying to figure out their problems and get back on track. There's lots to discuss with this book and, though it's short, the characters and story will stick with you. Narrated by Bronson Pinchot.

I only listened to a bit of Gordon Korman's The Abduction but stopped it because I wasn't getting into it. I want to mention it because I think the narration was really neat. It starts off with an introduction read in a sort of news-reporter-y voice and then the chapters are told in alternating perspectives. Meg is narrated by Christie Moreau and Aiden is narrated by Andrew Rannels. Listeners might want to pick up the On the Run series by Korman as that's where Aiden and Meg first appear.

And I got into the third disc (out of five) of Will Hobb's Downriver. I'm quite enjoying it so far. Forced into a "wilderness therapy" program called Hoods in the Woods, Jessie is unable to stop thinking about her dad and his new wife. Then someone comes up with the idea to "borrow" the leader's equipment and set off on a white water rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. The story has tons of adventure and likeable, multi-dimensional characters. Will Hobbs is definitely an author I'll recommend to kids looking for adventure stories.

Audiobook Roundup: Folktales

Based on oral traditions, folktale story books can translate really well to audio recordings and I want to talk about a couple that I think are particularly well done.

Epossumondas Saves the Day by Coleen Salley, illustrated by Janet Stevens, read by Coleen Salley. Recorded Books. (Ages 4-8.)

In this retelling of Sody Saleratus, it's Epossumondas's birthday. While preparing for his party, Mama discovers she's out of sody saleratus (baking soda) and sends Baby Gator to go get some more. Well, on the way back from the store, Baby Gator meets the great, huge, ugly Louisiana snapping turtle who swallows him up in one big gulp. When both Auntie and Mama also fail to return from the store, Epossumondas decides to take matters into his own hands.

Salley's story and narration are laugh-out-loud funny and I actually listened to it twice in a row because it was so good. This one is a great choice for family listening because I think it'll amuse kids and adults both.

Lon Po Po by Ed Young, read by B.D. Wong. Weston Woods. (Ages 6-10.)

On the other end of the spectrum, Ed Young's Lon Po Po, a Chinese Little Red Riding Hood, has a much darker tone. When mother leaves to visit grandmother, she warns her three children not to let anyone in. But when a wolf claims to be their grandmother (their Po Po), they let the wolf in and then have to outsmart him to save their lives. Music and sound effects give the story an extra sparkle and the wolf's echoey voice is especially creepy. Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from Weston Woods!

Audiobook Roundup: Biographies

When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Brian Selznik, read by Gail Nelson. Live Oak Media. (Grades 2-5.)

Marian Anderson was an African-American singer. Born in Philadelphia, her family and church members recognized Marian's talent at a young age and raised money to pay for singing lessons and to send her to school. Although she faced obstacles in the segregated United States, Anderson earned acclaim abroad and eventually was able to achieve her dreams in the States.

The recording is great, complete with bits of songs sung by the narrator. They are a really nice touch, giving examples of what Marian might have sounded like. I could see this recording being really useful in a classroom setting. However, you won't want to miss Selznick's excellent illustrations, so make sure you peruse the book as well as listening to the recording. For more information about Marian Anderson, make sure you check out Russell Freedman's great biography The Voice That Challenged a Nation (also available on audio).

Reaching for the Moon by Buzz Aldrin, illustrated by Wendell Minor, read by Buzz Aldrin. Live Oak Media. (Grades 2-5.)

Buzz Aldrin reads his own story in Reaching for the Moon. He tells about his determination to become an astronaut and all the hard work that got him to the moon. Even as a boy, Aldrin was tenacious and his clear message with this book is "never give up!" Although the narration isn't as dramatic as a professional's would be, it's still really neat to hear Aldrin's own voice telling his story. We get plenty of requests for autobiographies and this one fits the bill nicely. It's interesting and inspiring with beautiful painted illustrations.

Happy Nonfiction Monday! Check out the roundup at Picture Book of the Day!

Audiobook Roundup: Time for a Road Trip!

'Tis the season for car trips and I've taken a couple over the past weeks. I love having audiobooks in the car and I've listened to some great ones on my trips! I posted about some non-fiction titles yesterday and here are the novels I listened to:

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver, read by Ian McKellen. I am a huge, huge fan of this series, but I had never heard the audio recordings. I'd heard that they were fabulous... and they totally are! All the action and drama in the story are unleashed by Ian McKellen's great reading. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was delighted by the way he creates different tones and voices for each character. This is a great listen and I highly recommend it for families with middle school or older kids (or just for adults!).

Crash by Jerry Spinelli, read by Jeff Woodman. John "Crash" Coogan has always crashed through life. He's a jock and a bit of a jerk, caring more about clothing labels and sports than anything else, but his favorite pastime is making fun of his dweeby neighbor Penn Webb. Penn is a vegetarian and a pacifist and always seems to go against the grain. While Crash plays football, Penn tries out for the cheerleading team. But as seventh grade goes on, Crash just might find that he and Penn have more in common than he ever thought. I hate to designate anything as being "for boys" or "for girls", but this would be a great book for your reluctant readers. I think it's something middle school boys would definitely identify with and there are lots of items for discussion. It'd be a great book to read or listen to with the whole family and then discuss afterwards. Plus, it's funny and there are lots of sports.

This is what I've been listening to recently... how about you?

Audiobook Roundup: Non-Fiction

I've had the pleasure of listening to some great non-fiction audiobooks on a couple of road trips this summer. I think non-fiction is a great choice for family listening, especially with older kids, because you can find something that is interesting for everyone. Or you might find something you didn't know you were interested in... So here's what I've been listening to:

Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogran, read by Neil Patrick Harris. This is an adaptation of the bestselling Marley and Me and it's expertly narrated by Harris. Y'all know the story... Marley is a goofy, naughty, but loveable lab who gets into scrapes, is filmed in a movie, and enriches the Grogan family's lives more than they ever thought possible. I loved listening to it, but I'm not sure who I would recommend it to because the ending is, well, quite sad. So, that's one red flag for listening on road trips... I was teary throughout the fourth disc...

The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights by Russell Freedman, read by Sharon Washington. Marian Anderson was an internationally acclaimed singer in the 1930s and '40s. Internationally acclaimed, and yet she still couldn't book some venues in the United States because she was black. In this fascinating biography, Freedman explores Anderson's life from her under-resourced roots in Philadelphia to her friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt to her success performing in countries around the world. I didn't know anything about Anderson before listening to this book, but I found her story absorbing and important. A great choice for families with upper elementary or middle school students.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, read by Kathrin Kana. This book tells the story of children and young adults growing up in Nazi Germany. The reparations from World War I had hit Germany hard and the Nazi party promised jobs and money. Children joined the Hitler Youth, not knowing that the Nazis were committing such atrocities. Bartoletti concentrates on a handful of German youth, each with a different and interesting story. I was especially interested by the kids who found out the Nazis were lying to them and participated in resistance movements. This is definitely a choice for older kids - middle school and high school.

I think all these books would make great family listens because they're interesting to a range of people and they provide material for lots of discussion. And happy Non-Fiction Monday! Check out the round-up at Picture Book of the Day!

Audiobook Roundup: More Picture Books

I've had the pleasure of listening to some more excellent picture book recordings lately. Here are some more of my favorites:

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble. Narrated by Lance White Magpie. Live Oak Media. (K-2nd.)

Okay, take a story that will already appeal to young horse fans. Add excellent narration and awesome sound effects. What do you have? You have the perfect recording to hand to young readers. In this Caldecott-winning picture book, a young Native American girl takes care of her people's horses. When a thunderstorm scares the herd, the young girl is whisked away with them. The lead stallion welcomes her and the girl becomes part of the herd, happier with the horses than with her own family. Realistic sound effects like thunder and hoof beats make the story come to life.

Hansel and Gretel by James Marshall. Narrated by Kathy Bates. Weston Woods. (Preschool-2nd.)

One thing I really love about Weston Woods recordings is that they have such great music. Hansel and Gretel is no exception. A lively score plays under the narrator during the whole story and it really adds a lot. This familiar fairy tale features brother and sister team Hansel and Gretel. When their mom leads them into the woods in the hopes of getting rid of them (how did she find her way back home, I ask you?), they end up eating pieces of the witch's candy house. The story might be a bit disturbing to younger preschoolers, but kids who know the story will delight in this wonderful recording.

Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin. Narrated by Randy Travis. Weston Woods. (Preschool-K.)

Speaking of wonderful Weston Woods recordings, I can't recommend the Duck books enough. Lively banjos and fiddles accompany much of this farm story and it's punctuated with animal sound effects (including a very Donald-Duck-esque duck snicker). This sequel to Click Click Moo, Cows That Type has Farmer Brown leaving the farm in the care of his brother. "Just follow my instructions and everything will be fine," Brown says. But when Duck gets his wings on those instructions, some very funny things start to happen at the farm. This is a surefire hit with the preschool crowd.

Audiobook Roundup: A Grab Bag of Picture Books

Picture book audiobooks can be great for kids learning how to read or for classroom listening. Most of the preschool teachers I work with love them and request them on a regular basis. Even if kids are already reading, the excellent narration, sound effects, and music in these titles make them appealing. Here are some of my recent favorites:

Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maria Kalman. Narrated by Judd Hirsch. Live Oak Media. (Grades K-3)

This nonfiction picture book starts off in 1931. Many things, great and small are happening, including the launch of the John J. Harvey, a New York fireboat. The John J. Harvey is busily protecting the piers of New York, fighting fires when they spark up and sometimes spouting water just for fun. The years take their toll and by the later part of the century, the John J. Harvey is not in use and will soon be sold for scrap... until a group of friends decides to restore the boat. When the attacks on the World Trade Center occur, the John J. Harvey is called for help and she bravely battles the fires along with scores of other people. Judd Hirsch provides great narration for the story and the sound effects really add to the recording. Although I really recommend the recording, make sure you take a look at the book for its gorgeous pictures. This title was on the 2008 Monarch Award Master List.

The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night illustrated by Peter Spier. Narrated by Tom Chapin. Live Oak Media. (Preschool-1st.)

This delightful audio recording presents the traditional song The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night illustrated with full color pictures that alternate with detailed black and white pictures. This would make a great choice for early readers who like to follow along with the CD. Tom Chapin is a great narrator, both for the spoken-word portion and the sung portion. The song is read first and then sung. Three tracks provide 1) the spoken song with page-turn signals, 2) the spoken song without page-turn signals, and 3) the song by itself (sung). This is a great way to introduce kids to this classic song and they're sure to want to sing it again and again.

Epossumondas by Colleen Salley. Narrated by Cynthia Darlow. Recorded Books. (Preschool-2nd.)

This retelling of a traditional Jack tale stars Epossumondas, a young possum who doesn't have the sense he was born with. When Auntie gives him a piece of cake, he carries it in his tight little fist, ending up with nothing but a handful of crumbs. Mother explains to him that the proper way to carry a cake is on top of your head. Later, when Auntie gives Epossumondas a pound of butter to take home, he carries it on top of his head with less than ideal results, and so forth and so on. Cynthia Darlow does a great job with narration. Each character has a really distinct voice and she makes the story a joy to listen to.

Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. Narrated by Frances Sternhagen. Spoken Arts Media. (Preschool-K.)

The story of the Gingerbread Boy is one of my most popular requests around the holiday time and I'm lucky to have several copies of this audio recording in my collection. Narrated by Frances Sternhagen (who played Charlotte's mother-in-law on Sex and the City and Dr. Carter's grandmother on ER), the lively text is accompanied by appropriately lively music. As that gingerbread baby outruns everyone trying to catch him, on young Mattie is clever enough to catch him. This recording makes great listening at the holidays or any time.