Kids Audio Books

The Underneath (Ala Notable Children's Books. Middle Readers)

by: Kathi Appelt

Ages 9-12

There is nothing lonelier than a cat who has been loved, at least for a while, and then abandoned on the side of the road.

A calico cat, about to have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to hate. They are an unlikely pair, about to become an unlikely family. Ranger urges the cat to hide underneath the porch, to raise her kittens there because Gar-Face, the man living inside the house, will surely use them as alligator bait should he find them. But they are safe in the Underneath...as long as they stay in the Underneath.

Kittens, however, are notoriously curious creatures. And one kitten's one moment of curiosity sets off a chain of events that is astonishing, remarkable, and enormous in its meaning. For everyone who loves Sounder, Shiloh, and The Yearling, for everyone who loves the haunting beauty of writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Flannery O'Connor, and Carson McCullers, Kathi Appelt spins a harrowing yet keenly sweet tale about the power of love -- and its opposite, hate -- the fragility of happiness and the importance of making good on your promises.

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $12.23 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Goodnight Moon

by: Margaret Wise Brown

Baby-Preschool Picture book

Perhaps the perfect children's bedtime book, Goodnight Moon is a short poem of goodnight wishes from a young rabbit preparing for--or attempting to postpone--his own slumber. He says goodnight to every object in sight and within earshot, including the "quiet old lady whispering hush." Clement Hurd's illustrations are simple and effective, alternating between small ink drawings and wide, brightly colored views of the little rabbit's room.

Finding all of the items mentioned throughout the book within the pictures is a good bedtime activity--a reappearing little mouse is particularly pesky. By the end of the little rabbit's goodnight poem, the story has quieted to a whisper, and the drawings have darkened with nightfall. As you turn the last page, you can expect a sleepy smile and at least a yawn or two.

Release Date: 08/02/1991

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

The Going-To-Bed Book

by: Sandra Boynton

Baby to preschool

For a little one who is reluctant to go to bed, sometimes a silly book is just the ticket. And when it comes to silly books, Sandra Boynton is the undisputed queen. In The Going to Bed Book, an ark full of animals watches the sun go down and then prepares for bed. They take a bath ("in one big tub"), find pajamas, brush their teeth, do exercises up on deck (imagine an elephant jumping rope, a moose lifting weights, and a pig doing handstands), and finally say good night.

The moon is high. The sea is deep.
They rock
and rock
and rock
to sleep.

Boynton's inimitable animal characters have graced the pages of scads of picture books over the years. She has an extraordinary knack for knowing what appeals to small children: simple rhymes, goofy animals in goofy settings, and sweet, comforting stories. This book, along with her many other board-book titles (Moo, Baa, La La La!, But Not the Hippopotamus, and others) will surely remain a favorite. --Emilie Coulter

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Are You Ready to Play Outside? (An Elephant and Piggie Book)

by: Mo Willems

Ages 9-12

Winning unanimous rave reviews, Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie series continues to charm readers. Featuring two lovable and funny characters, an optimistic (and sometimes reckless) pig and a cautious, pessimistic elephant, these books make reading irresistible to the beginning readers. Children who sat on their parents' laps to have Pigeon read to them will eagerly take the plunge with these books to start reading on their own.

Release Date: 10/28/2008

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

by: Eric Carle

Baby to preschool

"In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and the beloved tale of science and gluttony has been translated into 20 languages.

This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too. A fun gift package for caterpillar fans. --Karin Snelson

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $8.46 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)

by: Stephenie Meyer

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $6.59 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)

by: Stephenie Meyer

Release Date: 05/31/2008

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $6.59 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3)

by: Stephenie Meyer

Release Date: 08/07/2007

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)

by: Stephenie Meyer

Release Date: 08/02/2008

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $12.64 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

The Twilight Saga Collection

by: Stephenie Meyer

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $45.65 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

by: Jeff Kinney

Release Date: 01/13/2009

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $8.54 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book

by: Jeff Kinney

Release Date: 10/01/2008

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $8.76 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

by: Jeff Kinney

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $10.15 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by: Jeff Kinney

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: $10.15 (as of 07/13/2009)

Usually ships in 24 hours

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Collection: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Roderick Rules, and Do-It-Yourself Book

by: Jeff Kinney

Avg. Customer Rating:

Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)