Read me a story," the child begs.
"In a minute," comes the stressed-out grownup's reply.
Soon, the minute becomes an hour. The child begs again. You can't help it, you're in no mood. Maybe you just got home from the office or (worse) from driving the neighborhood car pool. Crisis chatter has stretched your nerves wire-thin.
So, if you can't read, let someone else do it. Set your child up nearby with a book on tape. A well-chosen story, told by someone in the mood to read for pleasure, can untangle everyone's nerves. The beauty of books on tape, according to some, is their hidden potential to jump-start a child's desire to read. But books on tape are loved for their power to enchantquite simply, for the spell they cast while a child is sitting still, pretending to read.
Brer Rabbit and the Wonderful Tar Baby,
read by Danny Glover, with Taj Mahal on guitar, banjo and harmonica
(Rabbit Ears Storybook Classics, $19.95).
A true musical feast. The language, a rich mix of Old English inflected and embellished by early African-American speechifying, makes this a must-listen for children 6 and older. The package includes a picture book that vividly depicts the action between Brer Fox and sassy Brer Rabbit.
Inktomi and the Ducks and Other Assiniboin Trickster Stories,
told by Ron Evans (Parabola Audio Library, $11).
On this tape, Evans isn't reading from a book, he is reaching back into his memory for stories passed down orally from his Chippewa-Cree and Assiniboin ancestors. Told plainly, without sound effects or music, these magical nature stories tease the imagination with sly humor and understated wisdom. For children 5 and older.
Frog and Toad,
by Arnold Lobel, read by the author
(HarperChildren's Audio, $11.95).
What these stories lack in atmosphere and drama is more than made up for by the enthusiasm Lobel brings to the task of reading them on tape. Very young listeners familiar with the books will be enthralled.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963,
by Christopher Paul Curtis, read by LeVar Burton
(Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, $19).
Ten-year-old Kenny Watson's quirky observations shine through in Burton's narration of this Newbery Honor book. On a car trip from Detroit to visit Grandma in Birmingham, Ala., Kenny and his family come face to face with the tensions and struggles that galvanized the civil rights movement
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
by C.S. Lewis, read by Ian Richardson (HarperChildren's Audio, $12)
and performed for BBC Radio Presents (BBC, $17).
The adventures of Lucy, Susan, Peter and Edmond as they slip through the wardrobe into Narnia are charmingly narrated by Ian Richardson, but once you have listened to this enchanting classic dramatized with sound effects and music you will be hooked on the BBC Radio version. Light a fire in the fireplace, put the tape on and gather the whole family around for a few nights of pure listening pleasure.
by E.B. White, read by the author
(Bantam Audio Cassettes, $19).
Listening to this is like climbing onto your grandfather's lap for a story. White's deep affection for his characters comes through in the tone of his voice, creating a near-perfect intimacy that engages the imagination on every level. For children 8 and older.