AGES 5 TO 7
- Three Tales of My Father's Dragon
- by Ruth Stiles Gannett
read by Robert Sevra (Listening Library, $13)
The Story
This quaint and hilarious trilogy (My Father's Dragon, Elmer and the Dragon, and The Dragons of Blueland) is a forgotten classic that absolutely needs to be rediscovered. The saga recounts young Elmer Elevator's journey to rescue a baby dragon from an island of mean-hearted wild animals, and then to help his new friend find its way back among its own kind.
The Narration
Sevra gives a tour-de-force performance. With numerous comical voices, he milks every laugh he can get from the already very funny text.
Read Along or Listen Alone?
These stories deserve true classic status, and any mom or dad who doesn't know already know them owes it to themselves to tune in.
- The Magic Treehouse Collection: Books 1 to 4
- by Mary Pope Osborne
read by the author (Imagination Studios, $22)
The Story
After a brother and sister stumble upon the titular magic treehouse in the woods, they are transported to different time periods, where adventure, peril—and learning!—await. Here you get the first four books in the now incredibly long series: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, and Pirates Past Noon.
The Narration
Osborne obviously knows her material well, and you get the feeling that this is an author reading her own words with the exact intonations she heard in her head as she wrote them. It all feels very pure.
Read Along or Listen Alone?
These books are written straight to their intended audience (i.e., no grown-up in-jokes, no plots that work on multiple levels), which is certainly not a bad thing for the kids who adore them.
- The One and Only Shrek
- BY WILLIAM STEIG
READ BY MERYL STREEP AND STANLEY TUCCI
(AUDIO RENAISSANCE, $15)
The Story
Fans of the animated Shrek movies should familiarize themselves with the source material, just to see how very different it is. In addition to the tale of the far-less-cuddly ogre, you also get five more warped and witty Steig books: Doctor DeSoto and Caleb & Kate (read by Tucci) and Brave Irene, The Amazing Bone, and Spinky Sulks (read by Streep). Each is a wonder.
The Narration
Both actors are predictably fantastic, but Tucci's reading of Shrek—he seems to truly relish the ogre's disgustingness—is the real standout.
Read Along or Listen Alone?
If you're among Steig's many adult fans, you won't want to miss this.
- The Cricket in Times Square
- BY GEORGE SELDEN
READ BY TONY SHALHOUB
(MACMILLAN AUDIO, $15)
The Story
A country cricket ends up in the heart of Manhattan, befriends a mouse and a lonely boy, and learns he has enough special skills to impress the city dwellers. The tale is at times exciting, at time heart-warming, and always engrossing.
The Narration
Emmy-winner Shalhoub is nothing short of wonderful. The ease with which he spins different accents adds immeasurable color to the story.
Read Along or Listen Alone?
There's a good chance you remember this book from your own youth, in which case the nostalgia factor—and Shalhoub's bravura performance—may well draw you in.
- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
- by Kate DiCamillo
read by Judith Ivey (Listening Library, $20)
The Story
This critically lauded tale from the prolific DiCamillo is unlike any story you've ever heard. Told from the point of view of its protagonist—a pretentious, narcissistic china-doll rabbit—the incredibly touching and thought-provoking tale holds plentiful surprises. The fragile hero has absolutely no control over his own fate (being a toy and all), but what happens to him after he is accidentally lost over the side of a boat changes not only him but many of the people he comes in contact with.
The Narration
Judith Ivey basically performs a one-woman show. It's like listening to Broadway.
Read Along or Listen Alone?
Yes. Perhaps even by yourself. While appealing to kids, this tale is definitely sophisticated enough for grown-up enjoyment.
- The Junie B. Jones Collection: Books 1 to 8
- by Barbara Park
read by Lana Quintal (Imagination Studios, $30)
The Story
The irascible kindergartener has terrible grammar, questionable manners, and a penchant for complaining about everything. She's also hilarious. And her only-slightly-over-the-top exploits will ring true for anyone even remotely in her age bracket. The titles of the eight books in this set (Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus; ...and a Little Monkey Business; ...and Her Big Fat Mouth; ...and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying; ...and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake; ...and That Meanie Jim's Birthday; ...Loves Handsome Warren' and ...Has a Monster Under Her Bed) give you a good idea of the kinds of wackiness Junie gets into.
The Narration
Lana Quintal so perfectly nails the voice of Junie B. Jones, it's almost impossible to believe she's an adult. (Seriously, if you've ever read any of these books before, this is exactly how you pictured Junie's voice.) Obviously, this is a major asset to the storytelling.
Read Along or Listen Alone?
If Junie's outrageousness serves to make you feel better about your own kindergartner...
Next Page: Ages 8 to 12
