Download Most Popular Audiobooks in Kids, Ages 8-10 New Releases

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Title: Farm Boy

Author: Michael Morpurgo

Narrator: Derek Jacobi

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-30-10

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Set on a farm in rural Devon, Farm Boy is a collection of Grandpa's reminiscences and stories, touchingly told to his grandson.

Joey was the last working horse on the farm, and the apple of Grandpa's eye. In War Horse, published 12 years ago, Joey was sent away from the farm to be a warhorse in World War I. Grandpa had joined the cavalry in order to find, and fight, with Joey. Farm Boy brings us forward 50 years, with Grandpa not only telling his grandson Joey's story but also a 'shameful secret' which he has held for years -- Grandpa has never learned to read and write.

The story is set in Iddesleigh in Devon and lovingly evokes the bonds between farm and farmer; grandson and grandfather. The spirit of rural life is superbly captured in Michael Morpurgo's writing.

Members Reviews:

beautifully presented

lovely little story. the last part finishes it all off lovely. would listen again to this book

Brilliant! Just to brilliant!

I think this is a lot easier to understand that war horse but it's a sequel so you have to listen to war horse but 5 star from me!

Good, but not as good as War Horse

What did you like best about Farm Boy? What did you like least?

It was enjoyable but as a sequel to War Horse, not as exciting and interesting so we were a little bit disappointed.

What about Derek Jacobis performance did you like?

Great voice, excellent performance.

Do you think Farm Boy needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No - but listen to War Horse!

Excellent

A brilliant follow up to War Horse and brings it to a close in a warm and suitable way ending

Not as good as War Horse, but a nice follow up.

It's a short story following on from war horse. The story is nice, though not nearly as good as war horse.

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Title: The Heroes

Subtitle: Greek Fairytales for My Children

Author: Charles Kingsley

Narrator: Robin Field

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-10-10

Publisher: Mission Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Once upon a time there were two princes who were twins... begins Charles Kingsley in his 1856 rendering of Greek mythological heroes for children. Featuring the many exploits of Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts, and Theseus, this timeless collection of myths is a rich tapestry of adventure celebrated in early Greek lore. Kingsleys Heroes is a classic book that will please listeners of all ages.

Members Reviews:

Great Stories Great Performance

What about Robin Fields performance did you like?

One of my favorite performers on Audible. Never bored of listening.

Any additional comments?

Listening to this recording with my 8-year-old son who studies English as a foreign language. We both enjoy it the text and the performance. BTW, the text is available free at the Project Gutenberg.

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Title: Religions of the World

Author: Neil Wenborn

Narrator: Adrian Grove

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-18-10

Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Religion is central to the lives of millions of people around the globe. But how did the great religions begin, and what do their followers believe? Religions of the World tells the remarkable story of some of the faiths which have helped to shape the way we live today. Aimed at younger listeners, it introduces the history and scriptures, beliefs and customs of some of humanitys most enduring religious traditions, and looks at their place in the lives of men, women and children across the world.

Editorial Reviews:

Voice actor Adrian Grove guides elementary and middle school aged listeners through a thorough, sensitive, and accessible exploration of world religion with a firm, careful hand in this performance of Neil Wenborn's Religions of the World.

This concise and comprehensive guide addresses most major world religions - including Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Sikhism, among others - explaining how they came to be and what their major tenets, beliefs, and practices now consist of. Grove is a calm, even-keeled, and articulate presence in this audiobook, and his even pacing creates a comfortable listening experience for young learners.

Members Reviews:

Good, Concise- Should be mandatory reading for all

I would recommend this audiobook to anybody looking for a brief overview of world religions. As someone who has really only ever been exposed to one religion (Christianity), this was exactly the summary I was looking for. Even though the publisher's summary says it's intended for a younger audience, I think this comment is unnecessary ; the material is meaningful and concise and not 'dumbed down' so to speak. I have since listened to it several times. It does seem that the religions are evenly presented without bias, although there is slightly more content devoted to Christianity, which is probably fair considering it's prominence and influence as a world religion. I do wish, however, that the audiobook publisher would actually synchronize chapters with the different religions; instead I had to add bookmarks.

Good Intro Info!

This is a great listen for people who are interested in the broad topic - types of religions and some background. Each "major" religion is presented with some data- how many people follow it, dates, origin, distribution, etc. Then a little context is given- practices are mentioned, some excerpts from the religion's scripture, their main holidays, fun facts.

The book is neatly organized into sections, information is presented in an objective manner- pure information, no opinions, minimal bias.

Overall the information is kept at an introductory level which makes this a really easy listen- that is why it is described as "for younger listeners" but it is definitely NOT "dumbed down" and anybody looking for an overview of the major religions of the world should find this listen helpful :)

Couldn't be better

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! Anyone looking for what the book is about, ie a summary on the world's most prominent religions, cannot be disappointed. I was looking for that, found the book, and now I know what I wanted to know.

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Title: Great Rulers of Ancient Rome

Author: Hugh Griffith

Narrator: Benjamin Soames

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-18-10

Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

The common view of the Romans is that they were only interested in watching gladiators hack one another to pieces, and in lying on couches while they stuffed large meals down their throats. But of course they were a busy and clever people, who built up a great empire to prove it, with fine cities and harbours, bath houses and roads, laws and good government. In this audiobook you can hear the stories of the great Roman emperors and the enduring legacy that they left for later generations.

Editorial Reviews:

Hugh Griffith makes the history of the Roman Empire inviting and accessible to upper elementary and middle school students. With his clear, slightly accented voice, Benjamin Soames provides a delivery that breathes life into ancient times. His tone is conversational as he takes us from Rome's beginning years as a republic to its later years as empire. From Julius Caesar, who toppled the republic and established himself as dictator, through five hundred years of emperors, famous and infamous alike, students become acquainted with a critical era in the civilization of the world. The contributions of the most influential emperors are covered - with connections clearly drawn to show Rome's enduring stamp on the world today.

Members Reviews:

Child-friendly overview of the Roman emperors

My sons and I enjoyed listening to this. One was 6th grade and the other one 9th. We all got a lot of good information from this. Listening to it the second time, it was funnier and more sarcastic than I remembered. Not a Horrible Histories type funny, but still not as dry as I thought. Based on the Amazon reviews, this could be a good or bad feature depending on the parental style. Still, it shies away from anything much scandalous, which is a bit of a trick with this time period. We all felt it was very highly recommended and a great narrator.

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Title: Betti on the High Wire

Author: Lisa Railsback

Narrator: Rachel Gray

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-13-10

Publisher: Listening Library

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Ten-year-old Babo has grown up on an abandoned circus camp in a war-torn country. She sleeps in the old lion cage and takes care of the other parentless "leftover kids" telling them fantastical stories about the old circus days and finding ways to make them laugh. They need her. So Babo is not one single bit happy when an American couple wants to adopt her and change her name to Betti. How will her real parents ever find her all the way in America?

But soon crazy America is exactly where she iswith new parents and a little sister, weird food like snaky spooogetti, and all kinds of people speaking gobbledygook. Betti is determined to run away. She just has to find the perfect time.

Heartbreaking and hilarious, Betti on the High Wire is a book about family, the meaning of homeand most of all, about one brave and imaginative (and completely unforgettable) little girl.

Members Reviews:

My daughters' worlds just got bigger, and closer

You can't NOT love Betti. Betti's country of origin is never revealed, which makes this a story about just about everyone. Both my daughters, so opposite each other in every way, instantly fell for her and her companions. My daughters are seven and nine, and both found the story alternately hilarious (we had to stop the story several times in the car to get ahold of ourselves so we could listen again) and heartbreaking (there were real tears of sympathy. From my 7-year-old!). What's more, I had the same rich experience. It opened up some really wonderful conversations between us, and made all of our worlds a little bigger, our neighbors a little more precious. Railsback and Gray are to be commended for their great work on this.

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Title: The Invisible Fran

Subtitle: Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist

Author: Jim Benton

Narrator: Michele Medlin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-09-10

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

In this episode of Jim Bentons New York Times best-selling series, the classmates of Franny K. Stein show no appreciation for her passionmad science. Even when Franny displays her two-headed robot, they show little interest. But after Franny makes herself invisible and whispers robot-improving suggestions, a few kids believe theyve actually become mad scientists and cause the robot to run amuck. And as its poised to destroy the library, Franny must think quickly to save the valuable books from stupidity gone wild.

Members Reviews:

Awesome book

I think the writer did good. It was funny to see the stuff on the walls and what stuff the kids put in the robot. You should have rolled how Franny made the invisible position.

Franny is at it again!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! Franny books are always entertaining ! Franny always has a way of creating funny problems but solves too! The little Franbots are cute and full of trouble!

What did you like best about this story?

When Franny was tricking the Franbots!

Which scene was your favorite?

Franny told the Franbot#2 to kick the soccer ball as hard as she could and #2 Franbot did and her leg came all the way up and knocked her head off.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Franny stop the Franbots!

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Title: Seven Strange & Ghostly Tales

Author: Brian Jacques

Narrator: Brian Jacques

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-11-10

Publisher: Listening Library

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

Maybe you don't believe in ghosts, and vampires, and spooky things that creep around in the dark.

Then you don't mind sitting by a vampire's tomb at midnight. Or being locked up with the mummies in a dark museum. Or you might like to join the mysterious boy who lurks in the shadows at Saint Michael's. Or the ghost who waits by the side of the road. Or maybe, when you are home alone, you'd like to listen to these spine-chilling tales...and try to believe they won't happen to you!

Critic Reviews:

"Well-crafted and smoothly written...suitable for reading aloud...Even better for reading under the covers with a flashlight." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Great reading for 9-12 age range.

We purchased this for our 11 year old son who loves Brian Jaques Castaways of the Flying Dutchman series. He really enjoyed these short stories. I highly reccomend for his age range.

great book

This is different than the redwall series of books but my son is an avid jaques fan and he is devistated by his death so now he is trying to get all his other books too

Bad things happen to bad people

Having enjoyed reading the Redwall series of books by the same author, I started this book with high expectations. While the seven stories all have interesting and unexpected twists and an odd sense of humor, I ultimately found the book unsatisfying. The Redwall books are stories about good triumphing over evil. In Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales, the best you could say about the stories is that bad things happen to bad people. The characters are either bad people, or good people who are victimized by the bad people. For this reason, I found it hard to relate to any of the characters. And unlike Jacques' other books, there are no heroic figures fighting on the side of good. If this book is meant to help instill positive values in younger readers, it would be by frightening them with supernatural consequences of being bad, rather than providing positive role models.

Brian Jacques, an awesome author

This a totally cool book. perfect for campfires. all of these stories are eery, spooky, or hilarious. In my opinion, his other books also rock the house. I've read every one. if you don't buy this, you should check it out of the library and take the time to read it. I especially praise "Jamie and the Vampire". Hillariously funny! I also liked "Thomas P. Kanne". This scared the crap out of me! If you can't get hold of this book then buy it.Definetly your loss if you don't read it.

Great stories!

Brian Jacques is a great author, he can make

stories that have been told several times before seem new and original. This collection of stories is quite interesting, funny and descriptive, and hey, a little eerie. You can see how they are similar to Redwall books, also written by him, with sort of the same type of diolouge, and the poetry is QUITE similar. This is a good book for reading while on a vacation away from home.

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Title: The Light Princess

Author: George MacDonald

Narrator: Cindy Hardin Killavey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-19-10

Publisher: Jimcin Recordings

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

A king, a queen, a baby's christening, an overlooked guest and a curse. Author George McDonald takes the classic motiff and turns it on it's ear when the newborn princess loses....her gravity! An uninvited guest shows up anyway and the newborn princess is cursed. She grows up without her gravity. She is known as the "light" Princess.

Her parents can find no cure until by dark magic the girl's favorite place, the lake, begins to dry up and she begins to waste away. Will someone step forward to save them both?

Editorial Reviews:

Cindy Hardin Killavey delivers a delightful and energetic performance of the Scottish fairy tale The Light Princess. Her vibrant voice brings to life a peculiar situation: a young princess is cursed by an uninvited guest during her christening and deprived of her gravity on land. The only time she does not float into the sky is when she is immersed in water, so swimming in a lake becomes her only refuge. Enter a prince, who falls in love. When the lake begins to dry up, the princess and prince are faced with a life and death decision. Can love triumph over all?

Members Reviews:

Timeless.

Beautiful illustrations and timeless fantasy. As an author recommended by another of my favorites, C.S. Lewis, it lives up to literature that entertains and enriches.

This is my favorite collection of short stories!

I bought this a as a loaner set. I already have these books but found that when I loan them out, I have a very difficult time getting them back! Now I will be able to loan with out fear. MacDonald shines as a master story teller in these stories. My all time favorite is the Wise Woman and I love Yoe's illustrations.

Five Stars

Great item and fast delivery!

Thanks!

One of the Best Set of Fantasy Stories I've Ever Read

Now I understand why these used copies are going for so much. I received my boxed set as a child for Christmas. I've never stopped loving them.

First know that C.S. Lewis lists George MacDonald as a chief influence on his writing. If you like the fantasy writing of Lewis, you may very well appreciate these stories.

This boxed set (The Gray Wolf, The Light Princess, The Golden Key, and The Wise Woman) are the kinds of stories that transport you to another place and make you wish you were still there when you finish the last words on the page. I remember reading these stories as an elementary/junior high student and being completely transported to another world (even if everything wasn't totally clear to me). Rereading this series at an older age has made them even more amazing and transporting that the first time I read them. It makes you read fantasy as a child again, if that makes any sense. You read with wonder, and that's why I love these stories.

Highly recommended! Get them now.

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Title: Red Midnight

Author: Ben Mikaelsen

Narrator: Chris Nunez

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-22-10

Publisher: Listening Library

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

When guerrilla soldiers strike Santiago's village, they destroy everything in their path - including his home and family. Santiago and his four-year-old sister escape, running for their lives. But the only way they can be truly safe is to leave Guatemala behind forever. So Santiago and Angelina set sail in a sea kayak their Uncle Ramos built while dreaming of his own escape.

Sailing through narrow channels guarded by soldiers, shark-infested waters, and days of painful heat and raging storms, Santiago and Angelina face an almost impossible voyage hundreds of miles across the open ocean, heading for the hope of a new life in the United States.

Critic Reviews:

"A terrific survival story." (School Library Journal)

"Fans who expect a gripping tale of overcoming dangers, will not be disappointed." (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Plenty of adventure and danger for the young reader

I read this book along with my grandson as a required 7th grade read. A eye opening account of the trials and dangers other young people in the world face and a look at strength that youngsters can possess. Plenty of adventure and danger to keep a 12 year old boy reading.

Good book

This book is engaging and should hold the attention of young teens.

Set in rural Guatemala in the 1980s, the first chapter opens with the massacre of an entire village of indigenous people. Our main character/narrator and his 4-year-old sister are the only survivors. While it is realistic to have them escape, I'm not sure how realistic it is to think a 12-year-old and his 4-year-old sister could then sail from Guatemala to Florida. In the author's defense, he uses some flashback scenes to explain the uniqueness of the boat. (The 12-year-old has at least some experience on the boat, and it was actually designed for long-distance ocean sailing, even though it was small.) And as the story unfolds, the author also includes an adult who travels with them for the first day and coaches the 12-year-old in more sailing skills. Still, it's quite a reach to think this would actually happen.

It is difficult to find stories of war refugees that are appropriate for young adolescents. Most attempts either whitewash the suffering (probably to keep it less graphic) or they tell far too many details (probably to be true to actual events). I find both extremes to be problematic. For my classroom, I feel this book has a good balance of the two.

Twenty-seven years ago, I was working with Guatemalan and Salvadoran refugees. I guarantee the author is sparing us from major horrific details in describing the event. In my opinion, the author presents sufficient information about the massacre to help students understand the severity of the situation without the unnecessary sensational details. And while the massacre was by Guatemalan soldiers, there is certainly no glorification of the rebels whose earlier visit to the village probably led to the massacre.

I'm not sure why the entire book - written from the perspective of the 12-year-old boy - is written with no contractions. It sounds rather stilted at times. I don't know 12-year-olds (from the U.S. or from Guatemala) who speak so formally! I found that a bit annoying.

In general, I would not recommend this book for children who are younger than 11 or 12, and would not recommend it for students who are extremely sensitive to accounts of violence.

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Title: Written in Bone

Subtitle: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland

Author: Sally M. Walker

Narrator: Greg Abbey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-31-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 71 votes

Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10

Publisher's Summary:

How did the colonists of Jamestown and Maryland live and die? Forensic anthropology provides an incredible array of answers. Scientists can look into a grave and determine the skeleton's gender, age at time of death, nationality, and sometimes even economic standing within minutes. Laboratory studies can provide cause of death information. Once these details are known, some skeletons can even be matched with a name via the historical record.

Sibert-winning author Sally M. Walker worked side by side with archaeologists and forensic anthropologists in her research for this uniquely appealing book.

Critic Reviews:

Greg Abbeys clear delivery and conversational tone enliven this fast-paced work. (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

FASCINATING, BUT WAY TOO SHORT!

This book is about scientists digging up the bones of the earliest immigrant settlers of our country, mostly people from England who died in the 1600's. It is not too scientific to capture anyone's attention. The narrator is good, but I lopped off a star because he tries to replicate the voices of scientists who are being quoted. I don't care if a scientist has a brogue or is a woman with a cute little voice. Indeed, the narrator himself doesn't seem comfortable switching into those different voices! That said, the book is endlessly fascinating in telling of how various early graves are located and respectfully opened, the bones studied, etc. The graves are given very scientific monikers, but then as Walker describes the contents and the results of tests, we begin to see real people who worked very hard, who had just arrived or who had been eating an American corn diet for some time. We know which ones were plagued by painful life-threatening rotten teeth and in most cases how they died. We find out that they were not buried in clothes because clothes were so valuable! The shrouds were held together by straight pins. The custom of wrapping babies tightly in swaddling clothes prevented their getting the Vitamin D in sunshine, and the babies suffered from rickets. One very upscale lady tried to whiten her teeth, to the great detriment of the teeth! One young man had an Indian arrowhead in his thigh! Another was probably murdered or so overworked and mistreated that he didn't have a chance in the New World. Study of bones can show great physical effort in a lifetime, whether it is a 17th Century indentured servant or a modern weight-lifter! I wonder if the book included pictures and if so, I would like to see them. One Negro girl was recreated the way some police work with bones to arrive at a good idea what she looked like. In a few cases, the researchers could make very good guesses as to the names of individuals.

This book could help a young person choose a career or at least study harder the requisite sciences. Highly recommended for a bright ten-year-old and up and up! Just way too short!

Very interesting.

This is the type of book that deals with an interesting subject but avoids the mind numbing bibliographies. The author stays on topic and avoids sensless deviations into the personal lives of everybody and their mother who was ever involved in the topic.

My only complaint is that it was so interesting that I could not stop listening and finished it quickly.

Very clow start- and then still not great

This audio book was so boring for the first few chapters that I almost gave up on it.