Judge's Top Pick! 

Musicians Out of the Box, 2006; $14.99; www.MusiciansOutoftheBox.com. This is fun, fresh and witty proof that even the youngest kids enjoy classic tales and classical music. The pairings are thought-provoking and interesting. They juxtapose Goldilocks with Bach, Beethoven and Brahms; Goodnight, Moon with Clair de Lune; and original ethereal music with The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. You get the idea.

Parent’s comment: “I enjoyed this CD as much as my grandchildren did.” – Grandfather of three, Calif.
 

Mike Lockett, Heritage Schoolhouse Press, 2007; $15; www.mikelockett.com. A dozen stories and songs – mostly traditional favorites – are told in an inviting, conversational style with signature vocal sound effects and dialects. Lockett knows what kids wonder about as they listen, so he includes answers to their questions by explaining how porridge is made and why a troll would live under a bridge. The CD includes: The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Squeaky Door, The Little Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, How Sly Fox Lost His Dinner, The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Wedding of Jack and Jill, The Gingerbread Boy, The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Little Red Hen, The Leprechaun’s Gold and Goin’ to the Zoo.

Parent Tester Quote: “It’s obvious that this man knows how to talk to kids.” – Mother of three, N.Y.
 

Cygnus Storytelling/National Institute on Media and the Family, 2008; $15; www.mediawise.org. This is a real smorgasbord of tales: a fable from Aesop, a classic fairy tale, a rapping riff on another tale and a true personal story. All provide lots of reasons for sitting down and sharing a story with the kids.

Parent’s comment: “I appreciated the turn-off-the-TV message.” – Mom of five, Calif.
 

Owls in the Family, written by Farley Mowat, read by Max Louis, Chinaberry Sound, 2008; $12.95 (2 CDs); www.chinaberry.com.

 

Drawn from his own childhood experiences, Canadian author Farley Mowat tells a lively story about a pet-loving boy in rural Saskatchewan who adds two rescued, great horned owls to a household with several other assorted animals. Suddenly, an already adventurous life turns positively chaotic. Billy and his friends have outdoor adventures that rival Tom Sawyer’s, and listeners become nostalgic for times when kids could freely and safely roam the town and surrounding areas. As a bonus, you’ll learn a bit about prairie life and great horned owls, and have a chance to discuss rescuing orphaned, endangered and mistreated animals.

 

This heartwarming abridged audiobook is read aloud by 18-year-old Max Louis, who makes Billy’s life sound like oodles of fun to listeners from preschool to adult. 

Maestro Classics, 2008; $16.98; www.maestroclassics.com. This rendition of Swan Lake is like a portable children’s concert, featuring the London Philharmonic Orchestra. You get lots of extras: the story behind the music, a rock version of the classic, a booklet with notes on the composer, a sing-along, biographies of the recording artists and more. Lots of flexibility and play value accompany this all-encompassing CD.

For more interpretations of masterpieces from Maestro Classics, check out:

Peter and the Wolf

Susan Danoff, 2008; $15; www.susandanoff.com. Storyteller Susan Danoff weaves fairy tales at their sophisticated and enchanting best. Stories are drawn from traditional Korean, Hindu, Native American and French sources, along with an original creation of the storyteller herself. Let the soft, dreamy and elegant words draw you in and cast a magic spell.

Teacher’s comment: “My high school students really were captivated.” – English literature teacher, Calif.
 

Judge's Top Pick! 

written by Amy Friedman, read by various artists; D & F Productions, 2007; $18.95; www.mythsandtales.com. Visit six cultures and six traditions in the comfort of your car or home. This engrossing anthology of animal tales – each read by an accomplished actor from that culture – includes The Tortoise and the Magic Drum, a Nigerian tale; The Poet and the Dragon, a Chinese tale; Kerplunk, an Australian tale; The Elephant's Reward, an East Indian tale; The Talking Cat, a French Canadian tale; Coyote's Gift, a Native American tale, and The Cricket's Song, a Guatemalan tale.

Parent’s comment: “This CD is requested almost every time we get in the car!” – Mom of two, Utah

For more magic from Amy Friedman, check out:

Tell Me A Story

Mr. Popper’s Penguins, written by Richard and Florence Atwater, read by Nick Sullivan, Hachette Audio, 2009; $13.98 (2 CDs); www.HachetteAudio.com.

 

Can a 60-year old Newbery Honor book be brought to life for today’s listeners? Definitely yes! Mr. Popper spends a quiet life as a house-painter in a small town until, one day, his hero, Antarctic explorer Admiral Drake, sends him a live penguin. Before you -  or the Poppers - know it, there are a dozen penguins around the house, depending on Mr. and Mrs. Popper to provide appropriate food, a cold environment and even an ice skating rink.

 

Things get crazier and crazier as the Poppers figure out how to care for the penguins and how to make the venture financially self-sustaining. You’ll want to keep listening just for the slapstick comedy, but the storyline could also lead to some substantial discussions about the ethics and finances of keeping wild animals as pets. 

Family Fun Winner! 

Lynn Ruehlmann, Cascade Productions, 2007; $15; www.cascadingstories.com. Feel like an insider and catch an earful of White House life long ago – as told by the wives, daughters, neighbors and servants of eight Virginia-born presidents. Quirky tidbits about Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Harrison, Tyler, Taylor and Wilson bring alive the years from the American Revolution to World War I.

For more presidential fun, check out:

Abraham Lincoln for Kids
Thomas Jefferson's America

Family Fun Winner! 

Beatrice Bowles, Harmony Hill, 2007; $18; www.harmonyhill.com. Lively, original piano music enhances five well-crafted, traditional stories from England, Russia and Greece. Subsequent tracks repeat the music without the spoken word so kids can re-tell the stories – or tell ones of their own.

Parent Tester Quote: “Our kids loved seeing if they could tell the stories along with the music.” – Father of four, N.Y.