Adventures in Audiobooks

Recently we have been doing a lot of driving.  In my introduction you may recall a warning about 'country living' type posts.  Thus far there hasn't been any.  Be on the look out!

So, with us driving an extra 3+ hours a week I took the opportunity to get through some audio books!

Here is a few:

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein.
My kids LOVED this one.  We have listened to it numerous times.  It is great, some children win an overnight stay in their town's brand new library.  In the morning, the real games begin, the children must puzzle their way through the fantastical library to find a secret exit and win a prize!  Love a book where reading and learning are cool - but not in a patronizing way, I promise!

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
This was another fun adventure story!  The four Walker siblings are allowed to take the boat out and camp alone on Wild Cat island.  Exciting enough, but meeting the rambunctious Amazons - sisters Nancy and Peggy - escalates their exploits.  It has a lovely nostalgic feel to it, of free childhood days roaming through natural surrounds.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Collins is the author of the hugely successful Hunger Games series.  Here she has written for a younger, upper elementary + audience.  This is the first in the Underland Chronicles series, 5 books in length.  Gregor is a normal 11 year old who while babysitting his toddler sister, follows her in falling down an air vent in the laundry room.  The siblings land in another world underneath the surface, with a human population living in an amazing city.  In this Underland, bats, rats, cockroaches and spiders are enormous and intelligent - and dangerous.  The people take them in and believe him to be the prophesied hero needed to end a fierce war...
This was definitely darker and scarier than the previous two, not inappropriately so.  WR, WS & WG all enjoyed the story.  It has a good moral message of doing the right thing even if you are scared.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
A true classic!  Though some of the language was unwieldy, lots of pirate, general sailing and historical words and phrases, we were sucked in to this story!  It truly is a nail-biting, complex and compelling story.  The characters are rich, the situations are not so black and white.  We truly fall for Long-John Silver's charm - even knowing just from cultural associations that he is not going to be a good guy!  We really enjoyed this one!  Though, I'll admit, it did help to be somewhat familiar with the story line... Thanks to Disney's Treasure Planet!  (A favourite movie around here, and surprisingly keeps fairly close to the original plot!)

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
I had forgotten that WR already read this one.  She had borrowed it from the library months ago!  Still, it was a short, silly, rich and fun story.  The kids still quote some of the lines at me!  “Spoons are excellent. Sort of like forks, only not as stabby.”
The story is based around a father explaining to his children why it took him so long to pop down to the shops for some milk.  Involving Aliens, Professor Stegosaurus, time travel, wumpires and some very non-plussed children! 


We are currently listening to Heidi by Johanna Spyri.  
We are enjoying listening to this story on audio book much, MUCH more than when I tried reading it aloud.  
MUCH more!
I very nearly gave up on you Heidi.  I'm glad I didn't.  
We haven't finished yet, but there have been some truly beautiful passages.But I'm glad I don't have to read it...


And just because I can't resist - some hard-copy books that have been enjoyed in our house recently!  We got this book from the library and I am so buying a copy!

It. was. hilarious!  Must check out some more Wiesner!

WS has been devouring books lately too! He recently finished The Little Prince and
Russel Brand's Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper of Hamelin, as well as some others that have escaped my memory presently, sorry!