Are you taking a long trip, or maybe just looking for something quiet to keep those little devils occupied for a bit?
Maybe children’s music isn't your favourite and you’re looking for a compromise that will appease the tykes and help you maintain your sanity. Instead of putting on an episode of SpongeBob (again), try out one of these audio books for a lazy afternoon, a long trip, or a morning commute that both you and your kids will enjoy.
Harry Potter, written by J. K. Rowling and narrated by Jim Dale
Harry Potter has been a world-wide sensation for over ten years; long enough for a new generation of potential-Potter fans to reach the right age to meet Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the gang. While it's always great to get kids reading, you might want to also introduce the story with actor and narrator Jim Dale. Your children won’t remember the movie Pete’s Dragon and its bad guy, the traveling quack, Dr. Terminus; neither will they know the voice of the narrator from the tv show, Pushing Daisies, but the good news is that you will, and you’ll enjoy Dale’s talented interpretation of the "Boy Who Lived" as much as your kids.
Fortunately, The Milk, written and narrated by Neil Gaiman
Maybe, it’s because the book is being read by its creator, or maybe it’s because the Newbery Medalist just happens to have a fantastic reading voice.
Best-selling author, Neil Gaiman has attracted a large following of fans, especially since the release of the book-based movies Coraline and Stardust, and now you and your little ones can find out what everyone is so excited about. In Fortunately, The Milk, find out just how crazy things get in this hilarious story of one dad’s brave adventure, breakfast cereal and time travel.
The Golden Compass, written by Philip Pullman and narrated by the author and a full cast
You may have to ignore that the movie version of a book ever existed to fully appreciate the genius of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy.
Follow Lyra and her demon/soul (it’s complicated) Pan on their adventures to save both their world, and our own as she begins to unravel a complicated plot by traveling to the far north to save other children from terrible experiments.
Pullman’s deep, sonorous voice weaves a spell of witches, armed polar bears, northern lights and science that borders on magic, in the first of this 3 book installment.
Heroes For My Son/ Heroes For My Daughter written and narrated by Brad Meltzer
Best known by adults for his political thrillers, Brad Meltzer began collecting stories of heroic accomplishments and inspirations when his first son, now the eldest of three, was born.
In Heroes for My Son, his profiles cover the gamut of athletes, scientists, artists, singers, actors, comedians, Nobel Prize winners, inventors, world leaders and more, mixing the tales of the famous (Albert Einstein, Nelson Mandela, Jackie Robinson) with those of his family.
In Heroes for my Daughter, Meltzer returns to tell the stories of sixty more heroes of past and present, but with girls and women in mind. From Marie Curie, Anne Frank, and Eleanor Roosevelt to Julia Child, Meltzer’s favorite childhood teacher, and even Lisa Simpson from The Simpsons television show, Meltzer proves that the world is full of inspiring heroes and role models. Ones your kids should probably know about.
Photo credits:
Heroes for my daughter
Heroes for my son / LA Times
Harry Potter
Fortunately, The Milk / Harper Collins
The Golden Compass
Feature Image: http://i.huffpost.com