# Two 10+ hour roadtrips with my 8 year old. Audio book recommendations? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728 "2018-05-24T13:48:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/41 "2018-05-25T01:40:44Z")
Trying to skip anything mentioned above. Apologies for suggestions that wander too far afield! These are the books that popped into my head (if anyone can think of tragedy in these, please holler): For modern sf/fantasy, my first thought was _Skulduggery Pleasant_, which is a delightful adventure that I think would hit the right age range, is engrossing, and it made me laugh a lot. _The City of Ember_ is a dystopian sf that I think would work in audio (I read it years ago). _The Lightning Thief_ is a really fun series. Quite funny. It has lots of mythological characters, but it’s definitely meant for a young reader. A little younger is the Septimus Heap series, starting with _Magyk_, are kind of an ultra-whimsical Harry Potter. A lot of characters, but they are distinct. For classic but “easy,” there’s “A Christmas Carol,” by Dickens. I think it’s absolutely charming. I read and **loved** _The Scarlet Pimpernel_ at that age, but I’m a little weird. 😃 (It doesn’t fit this ask, I think, because I think it had a complex mythology, but _The Weirdstone of Brisingamen_ would probably be a great fit for him to read on his own.) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/42 "2018-05-25T02:48:55Z")
Hands up, were we to have this reading list at his age! ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/43 "2018-05-25T03:48:45Z")
The only thing I can think of that _might_ be of interest to the OP are Bradbury’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, and Heinlein’s juveniles, like “Have Spacesuit, Will Travel” and “Podkayne of Mars”. Here are some other assorted suggestions. Science fiction classics? Radio programs “X Minus One” and “Dimension X” from [archive.org](http://archive.org). More Bradbury: “The Martian Chronicles”, other SF and non-SF stories. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/44 "2018-05-25T10:22:23Z")
Another vote for Percy Jackson. And how about Terry Pratchett? For something completely different, Shakespeare’s comedies might fit too. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/45 "2018-05-25T12:15:41Z")
> [@Tinker\_Grey](#): > > M family quite enjoyed _Peter and the Starcatchers_ by Dave Barry. [Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Peter-Starcatchers-Book-1/dp/B0018ZF0OC) Oh, yes! Nice one. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/46 "2018-05-25T18:03:57Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Here’s one: [Singularity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singularity_(Sleator_novel)), by William Sleator. I loved it, myself. Seconded. I also loved _Interstellar Pig_, which is sort of a Cosmic Encounter/Jumanji/Last Starfighter mashup. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/47 "2018-05-25T18:17:38Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Here’s one: [Singularity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singularity_(Sleator_novel)), by William Sleator. I loved it, myself. > [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > Seconded. I also loved _Interstellar Pig_, which is sort of a Cosmic Encounter/Jumanji/Last Starfighter mashup. Are you sure these are available as audiobooks? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/48 "2018-05-25T18:54:43Z")
BTW - I love the HHG radio shows, but the quality is very uneven, and they can be hard to understand. This first series is pretty great, but they go downhill after that. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/49 "2018-05-25T19:11:28Z")
> [@Wednesday\_Evening](#): > > I love Redwall but I think some of the violence is a bit graphic for young elementary ages. FWIW my girl was listening and loving these when she was five. I have tons of students who read Redwall at eight. > [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > I strongly recommend _Castle Hangnail_, by Ursula Vernon. It’s a lot of fun, with no dead parents or pets, and the audio version is 7 1/2 hours long. This book is ridiculously good. > [@P-man](#): > > Summerland, by Michael Chabon. I don’t normally like fantasy, but I liked this one. It helped that it was also about baseball. > > I’m a school librarian, so I known what I’m talking about.🙂 To each their own–but this was far and away my least favorite Chabon work. > [@Quartz](#): > > Another vote for Percy Jackson. Yes, definitely solid recommendation. Okay, I’ve got my third-grader in the room. In addition to stuff I’ve already mentioned, she had one more recommendation: **Hoot** , by Carl Hiassen. There is some mild swearing, but it’s an eco-crime caper, and very funny. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/50 "2018-05-25T19:53:14Z")
Oh and becareful of Narnia… especially. If you don’t know how it ends. Spoilers : They all pass on in a car accident and join aslan… ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/51 "2018-05-25T20:33:27Z")
I thoroughly enjoyed “Ocean at the End of the Lane” narrated by the author himself (Neil Gaiman). Might be a little scary, but if Rhythmdvl Jr. is reading the Hobbit I think it should be fine if I remember correctly. And Gaiman’s voice is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/52 "2018-05-25T20:49:36Z")
Sorry - missed the edit window - on second thought, Ocean at the end of the Lane might have been more marketed for adults than I remember. I found a review that describes it as “Not just for adults, but not quite for children.” Maybe too much for an 8 year old. I’d suggest checking out plot synopsis on Wikipedia first before pressing play. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/53 "2018-05-25T21:26:07Z")
A website that can be really useful for figuring out age targets is [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/). It’s really useful if you’re trying to avoid specific themes (or if, like me, you really hate gory movies). For example, for Charlotte’s Web (spoiled out of an abundance of caution): > [@](#): > > Parents need to know that E.B. White’s children’s classic begins with the main character (a young pig) nearly being slaughtered by a farmer. Wilbur also learns that he’s to be eaten for Christmas dinner. When a major character dies, peacefully but alone – all children (and most adults) will cry. All readers will also be reminded about what it means to be a good friend and be inspired by the book’s messages about the power of love. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/54 "2018-05-25T21:40:58Z")
Seconded for **Skulduggery Pleasant**. The audio version I heard was read by an Irish fellow with a pretty heavy accent, so, just a forewarning in case he has trouble with accents. Even if so, it’s a great series and should be enjoyed in some fashion. Have you thought about podcasts? There’s one called **The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified** that’s aimed for a younger audience; it’s styled like an old radio serial (think Flash Gordon), but very silly. There’s a road trip edition for it as well, the whole first series in a two-hour block. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/55 "2018-05-28T03:06:53Z")
[Mr. Revere and I](https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Revere-I-Robert-Lawson/dp/1402523238/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527476433&sr=1-3&keywords=Mr.+Revere+and+I+Robert+Lawson&dpID=310nTomTZcL&preST=_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch) by Robert Lawson 1776, as seen through the eyes of Paul Revere’s horse. We didn’t hear the audiobook, but a teacher read it to us and every single kid in our class loved it. The same author also wrote a book from the POV of Ben Franklin’s pet mouse, Ben and Me. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728/56 "2018-05-29T18:39:37Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > The audiobook for **The Android’s Dream** by John Scalzi is also read by Wil Wheaton. It starts with the sentences: “Dirk Moeller didn’t know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out.” > > It’s intergalactic adventure and intrigue, with many alien species and callbacks to a recent war. One of the main characters died in the war, and there is an ongoing body count (a dozen or so, unless you count the sheep). But most adventure stories have a body count. . . . I re-listened over the weekend. There were more fucks in it than I remembered. If that’s a consideration. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-10-hour-roadtrips-with-my-8-year-old-audio-book-recommendations/814728.md?page=2)