Does your family argue over who gets to pick the music on long car trips?  Do you need a cure for the "Are we there yet?" blues?  Pack a good supply of family-friendly audiobooks for your next road trip.

 Audiobooks are entertaining as well as educational. Children will be exposed to a wide variety of literature and improve their listening skills.  And, you can add to the experience by trying some of the following fun activities.

In-Car Casting Calls: Try making up new voices for your favorite character.  Act out a few scenes.

Geography: If the book's setting is real, discuss how far away the location is, how you could travel to get there, what the weather would be like, etc.  If the location is imaginary, have fun making up these details.

Listen for Clues: Periodically stop the audiobook and have everyone guess what's going to happen next.  

Create the Sequel: When the book is finished, have everyone make up a different ending.  Or, imagine what would happen in a sequel.  

Interview the Author: What would you ask the author about the book?  What questions are left unanswered?

Listening to audiobooks and playing these games will make the car trip seem shorter and offer a terrific way to involve the whole family in a lively discussion.

Here are some favorite audiobooks for family listening.

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

read by the author

(3 hours 16 minutes)

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

performed by a full cast

(4 hours 57 minutes)

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

read by Lynn Redgrave

(13 hours 31 minutes)

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny – Detectives Extraordinaire! by Polly Horvath

read by the author

(4 hours 30 minutes)

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry

read by Jim Dale

(approx. 9 hours)