The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, performed by David Hyde Pierce

This is the audio version of The Phantom Tollbooth, read by Niles from Frasier. I got it last Christmas for my then ten year old but up to now it has always been played in his bedroom. When he started putting it on the kitchen before school, I wasn't too happy. The hours between seven and half eight are spent concentrating hard on getting four boys fed, dressed, supplied with a lunch they might actually eat and out of the house. Usually I work in silence at the kitchen counter muttering..

Nutella sandwiches, drink, apple  oreos, soup, no, not soup, he won't eat it, peanut butter sandwiches, no, peanut butters all gone, nutella? Ham? Recorder, no not today, better put it in the school bag anyway. Please put your socks on. Bike helmet, lights? Sign journal. Find pen. 

Hearing David Hyde Pierce blast from the speakers the other day nearly drove me over the edge. Howandsoever, I must have slept well the night before because when I suppressed the screams, turned down the volume a bit and listened, I had to admit its pretty good. I know it sounds like a cliche, but it's thought provoking. And very entertaining.

This one is unabridged and four and a half hours long. Needless to say, it is read brilliantly. Highly recommended for ages seven or eight to twelve.

Audio Books

I've mentioned before my ten year old sons constant use of audio books. He has a little CD player beside his bed and piles of discs scattered all over the place. They seem to be a little more hard wearing than DVD's as most of them still work fine, when one careless day out of its box seems to spell the end for our movies.

I know its a bit old fashioned to listen this way, there's probably podcasts or audible books or what have you that are way better, but this works for us. He sticks in the disc and presses play without once asking me if the internet is working or muttering about touch screens and batteries.Also, I think I can guarantee that if there was an Ipad beside his bed, the last thing he'd do with it would be listen to stories. Happily too, so far it isn't difficult to source the books we want in this format. Hopefully soon instead of becoming more scarce, they'll just get cheaper.

Pictured above are D'Aulaires Greek Myths, mentioned in this post. As I said, Sidney Poitier, Matthew Broderick and Kathleen Turner narrate. Its excellent. Then there's the Roald Dahls, which need no introduction. My favourite is next, Charlottes Web read by the author. So beautiful. The Beatrix Potter Stories are all read by established actors and some rhymes are set to music. This set contain her whole body of work and while it doesn't seem cheap, it really is for what you get. We have been listening to these for the past eight years. The How To Train Your Dragons are read by David Tennant and are very funny. He does a great job and this one has been heard a dozen times. As has The Cricket in Times Square, - a sweet, old fashioned story. And last is The Phantom Tollbooth, I  haven't heard it yet, but I know it was enjoyed. And its read by David Hyde Pierce, which can only be a good thing.

All of these are listenable to by everyone, both adult and child, (and some of the Beatrix Potters are great for toddlers) so are ideal for long journeys.