Entertainment For Lively Minds
Audio books for children?
Posted by SimonL on 12 March 2010 - 3:00pm.
I've Winnie The Pooh, with Stephen Fry as Pooh. Which is superb. My little 9 month old loves it. What others can anybody recommend?
I'd prefer ones with different voices and the like for different characters. But anything that sounds good.
- More from SimonL.
- Login or register to post comments
-
Not quite what you asked about
but have you got the Songs For The Young At Heart Simon? Mostly 60s/70s childrens TV related covers from Stuart Staples, Belle & Sebastian, Bonny "Prince" Billy. There's a Jarvis Cocker narrated short story The Lion & Albert. It's cracking.
http://open.spotify.com/album/6lc7v86qUkEtdPeJQ2OYCT
Had at some time thought the whole album would send Loaf the older off but never has. Will try on little Miss Loaf.
Ah, when we was contemporary:
Simon Callow reading Oscar Wilde
Can't be bothered explaining why, but my wife has recently been flogging a load of old childrens books on Amazon. I'd have just taken them down to the charity shop myself - not out of any charitable impulse, just out of laziness. Flogging stuff on Amazon and ebay and all that seems to be an enormous arseache.
One item she had up attracted a buyer last week. It was an audiobook of Simon Callow reading "The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde". Double cassette, still shrink-wrapped. She got £4.99. The buyer? A Mr S. Callow. Address: some London theatrical agency.
I presume that Simon Callow was reminded of a voiceover gig he did many years ago, rooted round his house for a copy of it - if he'd ever even had one - and drew a blank. It's obviously no longer "in print" and available for purchase at his local HMV. So he asked his agent to track one down on the internet, or did so himself using the agency address because "celebrities" don't reveal private addresses.
It makes you wonder how many rock stars probably don't own copies of their own records. But would quite like to.
On the subject of children's "media", I'd recommend Grandpa. The story is very sad, but the music, by Howard Blake, is beautiful.
Again, not quite what you asked for...
When my son was younger, I played him stories from BBC7's Little Toe Show, and later on, from the Big Toe Show. Little Toe has now become Cbeebies Radio, but they still do stories, available online.
Little Toe
Both my kids (now 14 & 11) loved Little Toe and were upset when it was taken off air. We listened regularly over breakfast.
As for audio books, Michael Horden's readings of the Paddington books are wonderful. Both mine loved some Pipi Longstocking cassettes (!) that we picked up from Ikea when my eldest was quite young. We've got rid of them now so I can't tell you who was reading them or who made them (sorry).
My daughter liked Superfudge by Judy Blume and that's aimed at quite a young audience.
My son loved the Horrid Henry books read by Miranda Richardson (lots of silly voices in those!).
Various Jacqueline Wilson books were popular too, but you may want to listen to them first to check that you're happy with the content. Tracey Beaker is good!
Finally, Stephen Fry does a very good job of wading through JK Rowling's treacle-like prose on the Harry Potter CDs, but they might be a little old for yours at the moment.
Hope that helps?
Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking was read by Maureen Lipman. Those IKEA tapes were really good value.
Agree with you about Horrid Henry, and Stephen Fry's Harry Potter (and Jennings).
Also good was Jeremy Strong - My Brother's Famous Bottom. One of a series.
And someone must mention Martin Jarvis reading the Just William stories.
You're right
It was Maureen Lipman. Thanks.
Mrs Umpire has just mentioned Dick King-Smith's 'Sophie' books (Sophie's Tom, Sophie Hits Six, etc.) as read by current Word favourite, Bernard Cribbins. Popular with both little Umpires and suitable for kids from 3 or 4 up to around 10.
My son is also enjoying the Alex Ryder Stormbreaker series, but I'm not sure who reads those and they're definitely for older children, mainly boys I would suspect.
Finally, your local library is an excellent source for CDs for long car journeys. The ones you like you can buy for yourselves; the ones you don't, you can take back and forget.
Look out for the Velveteen
Look out for the Velveteen Rabbit.
Sadly, ours has just been moved on - read by Meryl Streep - where are you going ?
Velveteen Rabbit
Always read this first before reading to children...
"Uncle Richie, why are you crying?"
*Sobs uncontrollably*
Paddington
with Stephen Fry. My son (11) has only just stopped listening to it and he started when he was 4. Stephen Fry has a wonderful reading voice for children.
Quite agree. Stephen Fry is
Quite agree. Stephen Fry is magnificent with the Paddington stories. Hadn't realised he'd done the Jennings books too. Crikey Derbyshire!!
Dawn French reads Kipper
Ideal for your age group. Of course Stephen Fry and Harry Potter when they are older. But for any of the Massive who remember the great Anthony Buckeridge can I point you in the direction of Stephen Fry reads Jennings?
When I read Kipper to my kids...
Kipper's a brummie and Tiger's Glaswegian. I'll never be able to buy audiobooks of them, the kids will revolt (most likely against me: "Dad, why did you do those stupid voices? They sound nothing LIKE that!")
And the Gruffalo's Welsh.
The Smartest Giant in Town
The Smartest Giant in Town sounds uncannily like Marvin the Paranoid Android in our house.
'Don't Cook Cinderella' by Francesca Simon (Horrid Henry)
read by Simon Russell Beale.
Just brilliant.
Probably best for over 5s. And not those of a nervous disposition.
A few more
My three year old has loved Charlie and Lola, and I've recorded the sound from episodes of Ivor The Engine which are fantastic as audio. The Big Mog collection is fun - read by Andrew Sachs and Geraldine McEwan - although the dogs in the background freaked the youth a bit at first.
Thomas the Tank Engine is hugely dated and has irritating songs, but the youth loved (and loves) it. And The Great Big Little Red Train by Benedict Blathwayt is read by Richard Briers - mighty.
I've also written before about great music for kids; if you haven't found Rockabye Baby, now's the time. Have a listen to some of the songs on http://open.spotify.com/user/dafridge/playlist/0NCy88pZDa7NDR37CUr6oY, http://open.spotify.com/user/dafridge/playlist/2GBMg2rFfcLytLRevFCb7c and http://open.spotify.com/user/niks/playlist/5rnIYWCJBVqiabntVik2WL. Enjoy...