Audio Books are our friends

I have fond memories of my mom reading the entire Laura Ingalls Wilder Series, as well as many other books, during our family vacations.  Unfortunately, our long car trips often consist of me solo...and before the kids could read (and before we had a DVD player in the car)...it was hard to read and drive...don't worry I didn't really try it!  Even when Mr. IM drives, I get car sick trying to read in a moving vehicle (on planes, too...blech)....so audio books have been my friend for a long time.  Long ago I bought and borrowed cassette tapes, then CD's, and now I have several favorites burned onto my car hard drive (yes, my car has a hard drive, that is a story for another day) as well as the magic of borrowed play-aways and electronic books (through my phone!) and the car blutooth connection...The public library has been a great resource...the other day I downloaded an audio book for myself to listen to while walking....Anyway...here are some of our favorites over the years with commentary when appropriate.  If the "reader" matters I'll try to note the "right" reader...sometimes that makes all the difference!  (For example...I LOVE Percy Jackson...but the way the reader reads the Pegasus's voice ruined the whole audio book series for me---d'oh!!! and don't get me started on the time I picked up a Elizabeth Peters book read by someone who was NOT Barbara Rosenblat...)  I'm particularly fond of the series books, but there are several stand alones that are quite wonderful.  Many of these would work well as a read-aloud, too--but these are the books that we really enjoyed the reading by someone else.

1.  Masters of Disaster  by Gary Paulsen, read by Nick Podehl.  I've listened to it twice in one day...
2.  Harry Potter.  Any of the Harry Potter, as long as they are read by Jim Dale. I have them all on CD, but I hear they are on audible now.
3.  39 Clues Series --The plot is a bit much sometimes, but the reader is pleasant to listen to (not too pleasant though, doesn't sooth me to sleep) and stimulates a lot of conversation based on the stupid exciting things the main characters do.
4.  Prince Caspian read by Lynn Redgrave  I love, love, love Narnia... but this is the only reader I've found that doesn't put me to sleep or annoy the heck out of me.  I would be very happy if I found any of the other Narnia books read by someone who's goal was to keep me awake, rather than lull me into a coma....
5.  Any of the Peter and the Starcatchers Neverland books read by Jim Dale.  Here's one...There is a second series that we haven't started yet, but it has the same authors and Jim Dale reads it (so it can't be too bad!)
6.  Red Jacket Girls Series --cute little mysteries, nothing too spectacular, but good enough that I'm disappointed there are only 4 or 5.
7. Henry Huggins-picked up this and Tales of a FGN (below) at the half price book store when they were on clearance.  They are very short, but entertaining enough to pass an hour or so.
8.  Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
9.  Percy Jackson series, (and the 2nd series, and the 3rd...)read by Jesse Bernstein...as long as the Pegasus doesn't talk, I enjoy them...Again, usually because they generate conversation if nothing else.
10. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler.  Love this book...forced the children to listen...they loved it (despite the clearly dated museum security...)
11.  Other Gary Paulsen humor books--like Mud Shark, Lawn Boy, Lawn Boy Returns...Hatchet is ok, but stressful in the car...the funny ones are better
12.  Treasure Hunters Series by James Patterson.  I think there are three now...A little is lost in the translation, as they say, in this one--there are a lot of pictures and graphs, but we solved that by checking out the book as well...and honestly, we discovered  we weren't missing much.
13.  The Gregor Books by Suzanne Collins (these are actually better in many ways than Hunger Games...they are a longer series written for younger kids...the last few were a bit too violent but ok)
14.  Moon Over Manifest--again, loved the book and the reader is good...nice choice in the car
15.  The Westing Game--another favorite that they resisted then loved :) I'm tricky.


Slightly questionable for (some?) children...but still among my favorite car trip "reads" (and The Boy loved it last summer...)
Night Train to Memphis By Elizabeth Peters, read by Barbara Rosenblat (Really anything read by Barbara Rosenblat is lovely).  There really isn't anything really objectionable...really no more than most kids books, and Rosenblat has the most lovely reading voice...but I'm prejudiced since I love anything Elizabeth Peters anyway, I suppose.

So what have you read in the car or listened to on CD/playaway/audible?  We're always in the market for something new and good!!