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My dd (6th grade) is really loving listening to the Secret Garden on tape. This is probably the first time she really has listened to a chapter book on audio. Do you have any suggestions for other books a girl of her age might enjoy listening to that may be on CD or tape? (Ironically, she doesn't really enjoy reading herself, although she is still is made to read for school and other things. My son, on the other hand, does not like to listen to books read, but rather enjoys reading things himself.)

playschool,

How fun! I love to see my boys get excited about audiobooks. They can be wonderful. Some of the more girl-oriented Blackstone Audios that may be worth a try for your daughter include the following:

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates
What Katy Did?
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
Heidi
A Little Princess
Little Women
Pollyanna
The Railway Children
Calico Captive

Other audio books that are available from other sources that your daughter may like include the following:

Any of the Little House on the Prairie audios (which are very well-done)
Caddie Woodlawn
Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink
Ballet Shoes by Streatfield
Misty of Chincoteague or any books by Marguerite Henry
By the Great Horn Spoon
King of the Wind
Trumpet of the Swan
Understood Betsy
Emily's Runaway Imagination (one chapter includes a bad dream that should likely be skipped)
Come On, Seabiscuit
Indian in the Cupboard
Rascal
The Saturdays

Of course, you'll want to read a bit about each of these to see if they fit your family's goals for reading, but we have enjoyed these.

Blessings,
Carrie

Hi Playschool! We've found some good titles at Blackstone Audio for children, and also on Amazon. We've done a lot of the classics, like Peter Pan, Bambi, Robin Hood, The Little House on the Prairie series. Some other titles we've done are... the "My Father's Dragon" series (3 books), An Ordinary Princess, Gone Away Lake, Return to Gone Away Lake, Come On Sea Biscuit!, Winnie the Pooh compilation, Mr. Revere and I, 5 Children and It, Five Little Peppers, By The Great Horn Spoon, Rascal, Just So Stories, Chronicles of Narnia Radio Theatre (by Focus on the Family), The Saturdays, and Heidi. My ds is really into the Kingdom Series by Chuck Black right now, and the audio CD's of these are wonderful as well if your dd likes knights, castles, spiritual warfare. HTH! Have fun picking - you can find a bunch used on Amazon, but just be careful they aren't the abridged versions or they won't match the book the child follows along with (which is what increases vocabulary and comprehension, a nice side benefit to them listening to audio books ).

In Christ,
Julie

Thank you Julie and Carrie! I will check those sources out. I could read her some books, but after reading for school and to my other children, my voice tires so easily and I become hoarse very quickly. The lady who reads for Secret Garden does an awesome job really speaking in the Yorkshire brogue and using an English accent when necessary. It really makes the story come to life.

My kids, even down to my 4 year old, love books on CD. Thanks for the ideas!

playschool wrote:... I could read her some books, but after reading for school and to my other children, my voice tires so easily and I become hoarse very quickly. The lady who reads for Secret Garden does an awesome job really speaking in the Yorkshire brogue and using an English accent when necessary...

My sentiments exactly! I reserve my reading voice and time for the HOD books and put my heart into those. The professionals do it better than me for the rest. Other than, we usually read a chapter of the Bible at night as a family.

In Christ,
Julie

My DD9...has really enjoyed the All of Kind Family series.