Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: audio books, lamplighter, literature, read alouds

This topic has 14 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 9 months ago by Misty.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

Author
Posts
July 16, 2012 at 11:55 am
Misty
Participant
Ok I have enough reading to do with each of the children this year and reading our family lit. just seems overwhelming. could I get some suggestions for good audio’s. My kids are 5 boys (14-6) and 2 girls (3.-1.5) , so with such a large difference I am looking for older ideas and younger. My plan is to play it while we eat lunch, during blanket time and in the car.
Please note age range when you make suggestions so I can try and balance out the audios and alternate between them. Thanks Misty
July 16, 2012 at 1:00 pm
missceegee
Participant
Little britches series by Ralph moody
Sugar Creek Gang series by Paul Hutchins
Anything by Lamplighter
These are our favorites and have been enjoyed by all ages 2-adult at my house.
July 16, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
I’m not sure if the 14 yo is too old, but we really enjoyed the audiobook of The Cricket in Times Square. The audio included hearing the cricket’s music.
Also titles by Beverly Cleary, like Ribsy.
Your Story Hour and/or Adventures in Odyssey (the older ones: sets 1 – 14).
My 5yo and 8yo liked listening to all of these. (And I did, too!)
July 16, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Tristan
Participant
We have enjoyed the Jonathan Park radio dramas from Vision Forum. We boought the set through Library and Educational Services website at a large discount. They still offer it last I checked.
Are you open to fantasy books like the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series? All my kids (boys and girls) enjoy them and it really got them interested in Greek myths and history.
The Redwall books maybe? All of mine have listened to a few of these too.
What about a G. A. Henty audio book for the older ones? The language is a bit difficult so probably 7 or 8 is the youngest that would really enjoy them and older would get more out of them. I know Jim Hodges does many of those but you may find them on Librovox too. (They’re free to read in Kindle format as well).
July 17, 2012 at 1:07 am
Janell
Participant
The last three audio books we listened to have been some good times:
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster — read by David Hyde Pierce
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming — read by Andrew Sachs
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson —read by Kirsten Potter
And I recommend everything read or told by Jim Weiss. I was blessed to attend one of his conference sessions this summer. It was fun to hear Mr. Weiss, live and in person, tell one of his Sherlock Holmes stories.
July 17, 2012 at 4:38 pm
LDIMom
Participant
Misty and commenters, thanks for this thread. I’m taking notes as we have 6 children from 13 down to 2. Also feeling overwhelmed with all of our reading (e.g. narration too from olders who read some on their own), and thinking audio will be a good way to get in some literature.
@Janell, where did you find these?
I need to check for these specific titles you all have shared at our library. When I go in person, I just get overwhelmed with all of the audiobooks! Making a list now, so a big thanks!!!
July 17, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Misty
Participant
how do I find the books that Jim Weiss has done?

July 17, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Tristan
Participant
He has a website: http://www.greathall.com/
I also know some of his materials are available cheaper on Amazon.
July 18, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
There are also recordings of books on the Ambleside list by year at LibriVox:
http://wiki.librivox.org/index.php/Recordings_of_Books_on_the_Ambleside_List
July 18, 2012 at 7:56 pm
amama5
Participant
Just a question on the sugar creek gang series, our library has mostly DVDs, not any audiobooks. Have any of you watched those before? Thanks!
July 18, 2012 at 8:13 pm
csmamma
Participant
I second Sugar Creek Gang audios, Lamplighter and Jim Weiss stories. Also the Narnia series done by Focus on the Family are great. The Kingdom Series by Chuck Black are also now on audio. My boys also enjoy Johnathan Park.
However, if you have lots of boys who need a good laugh like mine, may I suggest a hysterical light-hearted audio series called “Hank the Cow Dog”? They were recommended by beloved Diana Waring. Some may consider them twaddle, but a couple of years ago we listened to these at lunchs and had so many laughs, we needed to be careful not to take a bite of food before a funny part :). The narrator does an excellent job! You can listen to audio samples http://www.hankthecowdog.com/bookaudio.
July 18, 2012 at 8:26 pm
Tristan
Participant
While I know everyone’s taste differs, I want to encourage any mom who considers Hank the Cowdog to pre-read or listen first! We reviewed one of the books and it had so many behaviors that I don’t want my children emulating that we didn’t finish it. I explain the specifics here: http://ourbusyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2009/07/hank-cowdog-review.html
Again, everyone is different, and I’m sure each book is different in the series, but I feel strongly enough I wanted to give another perspective on Hank the Cowdog. I know I would want to be warned what my kids might hear/read.
July 19, 2012 at 12:43 am
csmamma
Participant
We never had any problems with our children after listening to Hank, but they were older 15 & 10 at the time. Please forgive me for recommending these if any are offended. My apologies…truly.
July 19, 2012 at 2:23 am
Tristan
Participant
not offended at all! Like I said, different books work for different families. I have found that different books even work for different children in the same family…LOL!
July 19, 2012 at 11:33 am
Misty
Participant
Thanks everyone this list was wonderful. I can’t wait to start my requests agian! they love me at the library.