Children Audiobook Books

I really enjoyed this book and now I am reading the second one. I really like the concept of Disneyland and this was a creative and interesting story about Disney after dark. I highly recommend it to people who like fantasy with a bit of reality thrown in.

Do not get your hopes up die-hard Disney fans. This book centered in the Magic Kingdom is less than magical.

I do not want to give anything away, therefore this will limit my review some. My overall impression of the writer, Pearson, is that he was young, this was his first book and he was trying to make a big break. It was only after I read this book that I viewed his bio; I would have expected more. Honestly, without reading his bio I did expect more.

This story is about five teenages that are chose to be Disney Hosts, via Holograms around the Magic Kingdom. Something goes wrong in the park and these kids are expected to solve the mystery. They are pulled in by an Imagineer and expected to do the impossible.

The story lacks plot and substance. These characters, the hologram hosts for WDW, are the focus of the story. However, the story never comes out to tell why they were really chosen. It mentions skills, much of which are never really focused on. It mentions one character's attitude a lot, but never really their story.

There are a lot of holes and gaps. The author bounces all over the place without breaking chapters. One moment we are reading about something they are doing now, the next moment we are jumping to a conversation taking place elsewhere. The story is somewhat empty, lacking detail and a reason for the plot. The writer never really goes into why the issues are taking place and how they knew it could happen. He never goes into the Imagineers story and why he lives in the MK and how all of these kids were really chosen to take part in this mystery.

The characters lack character. The writer does not do a very good job of describing the characters. I could not get a mental picture of any of them other than Dillard, and this was only because he continued to focus on his weight. None of these characters really had a story, a good solid background or anything of the sort.

One other thing that irritated me about the book, though it did not really affect the story, was the amount of errors. There were some minor story errors, such as mentioning five kids when it should have been four or using the word "was" when he should have used "is" or "were".

At the end of the book, there are two characters whose stories were left wide-open. It was like somebody telling you a short story and reading only half of it.

Overall, this could have been a good book if it were about 200 pages longer. It was missing so much. I know this is for young readers and not especially written for adults. My nearly 11-year-old daughter is reading it now and is also telling me that she feels the writer did not do a good job of describing the characters, she feels there are parts of the story missing and it is a little hard to follow the jumping around.

Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia are both for young readers and both authors did a fantastic job giving a mental picture. I was unable to do that with this book. Having been to WDW many many times, I could not even make a clear picture using his descriptions of the Magic Kingdom. I really expected more.


This story ended so that a sequel could be written. I hope that if a sequel is written, that he takes the time to tell a good story. Though this story is unrealistic, it could have been great.

I throughly enjoyed reading The Kingdom Keepers. As a kid, I spent many days exploring the Magic Kingdom and dreaming of the adventures that might have been. I will recommend this book to all my friends and family and their kids. As far as the strength of the story, it's excellent right up to the end... which I thought was a bit flat. Maleficent was pursueing Finn, her powers amplified, and yet she was contained by a fishing net and a jail cell? It felt a bit thin... otherwise the story was a real nail biter.
Thank you Mr. Pearson for a thrilling tale and for reigniting some of those dreams of adventures past and future. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Shannon

Seriously has to be one of the most underrated series of books I have come across. I was so into the Peter and the Starcatchers series that I stumbled across this book. My wife and I read this book while she was pregnant every night wishing we were back at DisneyWorld. The story was a little hard to understand at first but once the first few chapters were done it was fast and furious afterwards. My wife and I absolutely enjoyed the book and look forward to Kingdom Keepers II: Disney and Dawn coming out in August. An absolute must for Disney lovers!

I was very excited when this book came out and could not wait to read it because of the reviewers' positive reviews. I also was excited for it because I am a Disney fan and love everything about Disney, especially Disneyland. However, this was a very, very poorly written book. Now I am almost in my 30s so I guess I could agree that I'm not Finn's age and maybe wouldn't understand as well. On the other hand, I generally only read children's books so I believe I have a good understanding of what a good piece of children's literature is and this is not it. The writing was clumsy and as was mentioned before, wooden. Very wooden. It had good ideas, but did not deliver. Instead, it seemed like a marketing gimmick. If you enjoy good children's literature, do not read.

I bought this audioook for our girls (aged 7 and 9) to listen to on long journeys. We enjoy listening to it also and it certainly does make the journeys more bareable. Our [...]particularly loves this audiobook, in her words "it's awesome, even though it's a bit sad at the end when he dies."
I feel it's better than simply watching a DVD all the time. At least they are using their imaginations to visualize the images and they are often inspired to sit and draw what they have imagined. I heartily recommend this audiobook.

I am an adult and I loved it.
Much better than listening to talk radio while driving.

Twenty four years ago, I was a ten year old girl who saved every last penny to save $35.00 to buy the Little House on The Prairie boxed set by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was my love of the TV show that started the savings venture...I heard it was based on a true story and I needed to know all the details. What happened when I received those books, and read them one after another that year changed me into a fan of the show, into a full fledge Laura Ingalls Wilder enthusiast. Why? Because of the simple beauty of the pioneer tales within. Stories that show that even when things are worse than you or I can imagine, family and faith still bring hope and contentment. Little Town on the Prairie is one of my two favorite stories. Even as a ten year old I loved watching Laura turn into a lady in this story. Its been several years since I read this one, and taking a break from my regular readings seemed a good idea. I noticed that I picked up new little things this time around. I can read different things into that meeting with Almonzo where he and Laura change cards, I can feel the shame and tension in the school house scene where Laura defends Carrie to Ms. Wilder (I think I felt this horror anew from a parents perspective) and I also noticed Ma's prejudices against the Indians more keenly as well. There was a scene I even felt uncomfortable with. In a social gathering at the school, some of the town's men dressed in black paint and acted like "darkies" to the amusement of the audience. I think Laura herself, would flinch from that in this day and age. But again, it only emphasizes the times the Ingalls family were living in, and how far this country has come. The country has made mistakes along the way (slavery and the Trail of Tears, for example). But where we are now is in no little part, due to the efforts of the brave pioneers like the Ingalls family. This is a historical, christian, pre-romance, and tale of growing from child to woman all in one and there is no doubt in my mind, why this remains a beloved story to children and adults everywhere today.

For this book review I read Little Town on the Prarie by:Laura Ingles Wilder. This book is good reading for preteen girls. The story is historical and is about living in the pioneer days.

In this book Laura and her family work hard to send her older sister to Collage and keep her there untill she finishes. Laura and her little sister Grace have to go to school when they move to town for the winter. Laura is very exited about going to school because she wants to get her teachers certifacit when she is sixteen. To find out what else happens you will have to read the book.

This book was fun to read and kept my intrest. It was a little confusing at timeskeeping up with who was talking. It was very interesting also to learn about how they lived back then. Over all it was a good book and I would consider reading it again.

Laura Ingalls thought that being thirteen was difficult, but now she is on the cusp of her fifteenth year, and things around her are changing like crazy. After a difficult winter full of one blizzard after another, Laura is happy to be back on the claim shanty with her family, away from the hustle and bustle of town. But she knows that her family will most certainly head back to De Smet to live in the shop before winter comes again, to protect them from the harsh weather that may lie ahead. Weather aside, however, Laura can't believe how many new things are arising. Especially the most important one of all - changes for Mary.

Laura couldn't be happier to be back in school again. After so many months of studying on her own, she is thrilled to be back in the classroom with her old friends Mary and Minnie, and Ida. But there's someone new in the classroom. A person from Laura's past who makes Laura shake with anger - Nellie Oleson. Laura, however, is determined to ignore the nasty Nellie and study as hard as she possibly can in order to gain her teaching certificate, and help to send Mary to college. But even without her being a part of the workforce, Mary is able to go off to college, and Laura couldn't be happier - or more devastated. But seeing how much Mary loves college, Laura resolves to study even harder, and begin earning the money to assist in keeping her there. Of course, Laura never imagined that things could possibly stand in her way. Such as the selfish new schoolteacher who thrives on taunting and humiliating both Laura and Carrie in front of the other students; and working as a seamstress in town. But the most shocking of all, is Almanzo Wilder's sudden interest in young Laura. Almanzo is a handsome fellow, whose Morgan horses are the talk of the town, and now Almanzo seems to have taken a fancy to Laura - something that leaves her confused and excited at the same time. But no matter what, she must remember to continue her studies, or else Mary may have to return home before her education is complete.

It seems strange to bear witness as someone ages, but that is exactly what readers have had the opportunity to do as Laura Ingalls grows in age, height, and maturity. The love she holds for her family is so refreshing and charming, and truly keeps the reader's interest peaked; while the constant maturity Laura displays in each and every one of her decisions is just unbelievable. Laura has completely grown up before our eyes, and each year she just becomes more and more lovable. The inclusion of facts regarding the changes taking place during this era are interesting, and present a fun learning experience for readers; while the sudden budding romances springing up around the young people of De Smet indicates just how much older these characters have become. Almanzo Wilder has grown on me over the past few books, and I love reading the scenes where he is present; and Nellie Oleson, as nasty as she is, will always remain a fun character whom you absolutely love to hate, but hate to love. This series just gets better and better!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I read this book to my two sons, 7, 9 and my husband, during long drives. We all loved it. Even though the main character is a girl, my boys were interested the entire time and identified with Laura. The descriptions are great and the characters are well-drawn. We're now reading These Happy Golden Years and my family is loving that, too. I recommend this book for a family to read together.

This is a charming, entertaining, and educational story about what life was like among homesteaders in the Dakota territories in the 1880s. I mostly agree with the other positive reviews here. But there is a teaching moment in this book that should not be overlooked. The parents in this book are paragons of virtue, and their behavior matches the highest standards - standards of 1880, not 2006. There is a short scene during one of the "literaries" where several men perform in blackface. Although it occurs with innocent intent, modern readers might find it in questionable taste if they don't allow for the historical context.

If they're smart, parents and teachers will embrace this as an opportunity to open a discussion with children about changing standards, and the work it took to improve those standards.

I don't get it. My three-and-a-half-year-old son doesn't like it. It lacks the sweetness and focus of "Corduroy" or "The Snowy Day." It changes scene too often (and not in a good way, like Harold and the Purple Crayon). And the characters are unkind to each other until the very end. I bought this book based on good reviews, but without having read it myself. My mistake. I think this is not a great book for little kids to read, and I won't read it again with my son. Very disappointing.

these are the best books - charming in story and illustration - im so glad to be able to share them with my child!

I am now 21 years old and I can still remember the opening line to this tape. The Lyle books are wonderful for children and this tape is a great way to put your child to sleep. The Lyle books are truly one of my greatest childhood memories!

I just purchased this title for my 4 year old daughter, and she (and I) really love it!!! The title of the book doesn't really grab you but it's a sweet story about how the neighbor Mr Grumps really doesn't like Lyle, has him banished to the zoo, and then Lyle ends up saving Mr Grumps. I really like the characters in this series because they remind me of real life people that your kids will have to deal with at some point or another. My daughter was totally engaged.

A picture book with more backstory than you could possibly imagine. For many, the delightful "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile" is a perennial favorite. I, myself, had never read it before. When first we see Lyle, he's standing in the center of Central Park (this is most definitely a New York based book) feeding the ducks. Occupying a swank apartment (you should see his bathroom!) with the Primm family, Lyle is everyone's favorite crocodile. He's polite, helpful, and wonderful at double dutch. The ever dour Mr. Grumps next door has problems with the beloved Lyle. Mr. Grumps continually threatens to send Lyle away, but it isn't until an unfortunate department store incident that Mr. Grumps makes good his threats. In the end, however, all turns out for the best and Lyle is reunited with his loving family.

There's a certain amount of suspension of disbelief involved in this tale. Apparently it is not a particularly odd thing to live with a crocodile. I was especially taken with Mrs. Primm's relationship with the lovely reptile. The two do their shopping together and take a turn about the ice skating rink. (...) Mr. Grumps refuses to even speak with Lyle until a fortunate accident towards the book's finale. And in the end, it's just a lovely book. The writing is superb. The illustrations adorable and evocative all at once. The book has CLASSIC writ large all over it. If you've any wit or intelligence about you (and you wish to pass such virtues onto your darling children) pick up the wonderful "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile" immediately.

Nancy Drew
Book Two
The Hidden Staircase

Nancy Drew is on the case of the hidden staircase. The eighteen-year-old sleuth is busy with two mysteries to solve. Her friend, Helen Corning has asked her to come to her family's ancestral home to help solve a mystery, involving a ghost. Just before Nancy leaves, she is visited by a man who tells her that her father is in danger and she had better not let him out of her sight.

Nancy's dad is working on a case for the railroad. Men are protesting the railroad going through their property and a crooked lawyer has told them to hold out for more money. After Nancy's dad assures her that he can take care of himself, Nancy reluctantly goes to help her friend.

Missing jewelry, strange noises, shadows, a moving chandelier, and footsteps at night, all plague the women at the Twin Elms Manor. But when the same strange lawyer comes to the door to the manor, trying to buy the property out from under Helen's great grandmother, Nancy is very suspicious. On top of that, Nancy's dad was last seen by a taxi driver who was taking him to meet his daughter, but he never arrived.

Can the crooked lawyer have something to do with the ghost? Can he also be involved in the disappearance of Carson Drew? How does the ghost get into the manor? And how does the spook always know when the coast is clear?

The suspense will keep you reading from beginning to end, in Nancy Drew's second mystery, The Hidden Staircase.

There are several ND books that I read as a young child and now my daughter reads them too. The Hidden Staircase is one that I put at the top of my recommendations. It is excellent mystery reading for kids age 9 to 12 (or for those of us who just like a trip down memory lane once in a while). The thrill is still there!

I bought this little notebook for my mother who is an old school Nancy Drew fan and she was thrilled with it! It is a nice size to use as a purse notebook, well made binding, quality paper and there are printed illustrations on the pages - so it isn't just a blank book with a Nancy Drew cover - it is a total Nancy Drew themed blank book. Really nice small gift item.

This book was for my grandaughter. I read it before giving it to her and found it to be very entertaining and appropriate for my 8-year old grandaughter. She is reading it now and enjoying the book very much.

I did have to get this third party because it wasn't available when I went to order it. I am glad to add it to my collection. Putting aside what is obviously wrong with it (the derogatory portrayal of the African-American servant) this is a pretty good mystery story. It is much different than the seventies version I had read before, not just the language, but even the storyline changed, with both the elimination and addition of characters. My only problem is the big gold seal on the front of the dust jacket. If this is supposed to be an accurate reproduction of the original book, it should not be "defaced" with a seal stamped on the front advertising "The Originals." I would have preferred that be put inside the book. I did enjoy the internal advertisements of other series in the end pages.

BACK TO ABNORMAL (Dealing with change)
Finding a job becomes Eugene's goal after he learns he's not needed at Campbell College or even Whit's End. Meanwhile, Wooton tries to help Grady deal with changes at home when his mom starts a new job.

ALL-STAR WITNESS (Communication)
Who knew that Little League baseball could lead to a court case? When Coach Tom Riley doesn't choose Ashley for the local All-Star game, her father sues Tom. Tensions rise once Tom and his "lawyer" (Eugene!) try to settle it without going to court.

A CHRISTMAS CONUNDRUM (Giving)
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Odyssey... especially with all the mixed-up wish lists going around! Connie thinks Eugene is giving her a car, so she can't get him a vest. Tom, Whit, Bart and Grady have similar confusion about which presents to get their friends -- meaning everyone's in for a surprise when the gifts are opened!

ALWAYS (Family Relationships)
Aubrey Shepard prepares to leave home for college, believing God has led her to the right school at the right time. Emotions run high for her mom, dad and especially young sister Bethany. When Aubrey realizes her family's loss, she wonders: can this be God's will?

THE BUSINESS OF BUSYNESS (Being too busy)
With Tamika in dance class, Marvin's dinosaur club and a schedule full of other activities, the Washingtons can't find time for family devotions. Meanwhile, Eugene's new service organization has him running in circles. Everybody finds that it takes more than smarts to sort out schedules -- it takes sacrifice.

ODYSSEY SINGS (Affirmation)
Looking for a ratings boost, the TV show "America Sings" decides it needs small-town singers for its latest auditions. Guess which town is chosen? Odyssey hopefuls are eager to sing their way to the top and win a recording contract... but they have to get past Bryan Dern and the other judges first! Tamika, Eugene and all our friends show how fame isn't all its hyped up to be.

SILENT NIGHT (Loneliness)
It's Christmas Eve at Whit's End! Connie and her mom are off to go caroling, Bernard is in Florida with his wife... and a snowstorm cancels Whit's flight to join a family reunion. At home by himself, Whit remembers holidays past that were often difficult -- but still treasured family memories.

TALES OF A SMALL-TOWN THUG (Responding to criticism)
When a former Bones of Rath gang member writes a scathing book about Odyssey, everyone at Whit's End is bent out of shape. Liz does her best to stop being "bossy," while Eugene hunts for a thankless job so he can learn humility. Connie, meanwhile, concocts a unique scheme to counter the book.

THE CHAMP OF THE CAMP (Friendship)
Who would've guessed that Connie Kendall used to be called "the Avenger," feared by the other kids for her devious pranks? Connie narrates the story of her last year at summer camp before coming to Odyssey, about how she started losing the annual "prank war" - but gained a friend.

PRISONERS OF FEAR, PART I (Serving others)
Eugene tells of a trip he and Katrina took to a small village in Africa, before they came back to Odyssey. The people there aren't exactly friendly...especially when they believe that Eugene and Katrina have awakened an ancient curse!

PRISONERS OF FEAR, PART II (Greed)
The plot thickens as Eugene and Katrina find themselves caught in the struggle between two African tribes. But everything takes a sudden turn when Eugene discovers a connection to his own past.

PRISONERS OF FEAR, PART III (Overcoming fear by faith)
Eugene and Katrina's African adventure comes to a thrilling climax. Eugene discovers more about his parents and their connection to this isolated village. But the couple realizes that their true purpose on this mission is overcoming the lies that imprison their new friends in Africa.

My 15 year old son was hooked on these when he was younger and now my 8 year old daughter loves them too. We listen to them on car trips, while waiting to pick someone up, at bedtime. The stories are all great and have great messages. Thanks!

If you are a teacher, from elementary to high school, you NEED to get this book. It is AMAZING.

A Single Shard is an excellent book for young readers and is equally enjoyable for adults. I will use excerpts from this book when teaching my high school students about early Korean celadon firing. The characters are believable and likable, the story line is gripping and well written and sprinkled throuhgout the book is fabulous information about the making and firing of some of the finest pottery in history.

My 10-year old daughter is a very reluctant reader, so when a list of books was assigned for summer reading, I picked the ones that either have been recognized by other people or have won awards. I have trusted "Newberry" medal for years, and it had never let me down. Until this time.

The book was boring, monotonous, with words just flowing pass you without leavin an impression. In order to help my daughter to get through the book, we took turns reading chapters aloud. When it was my turn reading, I was literally falling asleep because for pages and pages nothigh was happening in the plot. I guess, that would make this book a great good night story, your child would have no trouble falling asleep, just be careful that you are still awake by the end of the chapter.

We finished the book and searched the Internet for images of Korean pottery, because even by the end of it, we still had trouble picturing the artifacts described in there. With all those hunderds of words that filled page after page to talk about vases, we still could not understand how they looked like.

A Single Shard

I was reading this for my summer reading log. It turned out to be really bad. Not only is it boring, but it drags on. Don't read this unless you are obsessed with pottery!

What an absolutely captivating story! I am somewhat familiar with stories from Japan or China, but I guess I am just oblivious to contemporary child-aimed Korean-inspired literature. What a horrible elementary school teacher I am. Anywho, I first heard about this book back in college in a children's lit class... but never bothered to read it until my little sister found it. She read it and recommended it to me.

And thus I was captivated by its gorgeous simplicity that made a truly inspiring fable as well as a piece of historical fiction.

The story follows the adventures of Tree-Ear, a young orphan who becomes the servant/apprentice of a master potter. Tree-Ear yearns to learn pottery, but his broken-hearted master refuses to teach. When Master Min is summoned to send samples of his work to the royal court, it is Tree-Ear's task to make the delivery.

This is a beautiful, inspiring story that touches on love as well as art. It brought tears to my eyes.

We need to protect ourselves better from the 'human predators' among us and this book gives us sound and easy to understand advice on how to do just that. It is surprising though that the author is able to give this advice in a manner which still demonstrates a depth of care and compassion for our fellow human beings and for the 'human condition'.

Awesome book, very close to reality. I have seen many of these individuals in my life, professional and military, and they really exist and they are expert manipulators. Dr. Stout gave us a master piece. I will recommend this book to any mental health therapist and to school administrators.

The parts about describing sociopaths and how to identify them and even how to deal with them and protect yourself are VERY good. This is a book I would recommend for everyone to read.

But her descriptions of conscience and what it is has more to do with her personal world view than science. I think Wikipedia does a more concise and better job of describing conscience. Too bad, because it was mostly very good otherwise. Through much of the book she also injects little snippets of her personal beliefs and views as if they are the only possible "right" way of thinking. This is done in a very subtle way. I think the author has very liberal, progressive, views and this is reflected in parts of the book. She just goes all "gooey" in places.

I found this book to be understandable, readable, and appropriate for any young adult or adult reader interested in learning more about sociopathy. (AKA, antisocial personality disorder.)

Stout provides excellent and clear examples, allowing the reader to differentiate between someone with unsettling character flaws and a true sociopath.

It was a fascinating page-turner, but more importantly, once the reader has an accurate understanding of sociopathy and how to recognize it, Stout closes with a set of RULES for dealing with a true sociopath in your life. Sociopaths can be harmless, but they can also be quite dangerous, and I found the real-life strategies for dealing with a sociopath (should you have to interact with one) to be lifesavers. (Maybe literally!)

A final note: It is my understanding that there is a big difference between a sociopath and a psychopath. A sociopath lacks the ability to feel guilt, remorse, and love. A psychopath lacks these emotions as well, but the difference is that the psychopath also lacks the ability to feel fear, which is what makes them far more dangerous. (Reference "Emotional Capacities and Sensitivity in Psychopaths" by Willem H. J. Martens, MD, PhD, 2003)

This book was fantastic! After being the victim of a sociopath this book gave me great insight into how these type of people operate and why they do the things they do. This is a must read for anyone caught in the mental grip of a sociopath. It will not only show you how to recognise one but also you how to get away from them before they destroy your life.